Never Shaken!

LORD, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain? The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart; whose tongue utters no slander, who does no wrong to a neighbor, and casts no slur on others; who despises a vile person but honors those who fear the LORD; who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and does not change their mind; who lends money to the poor without interest; who does not accept a bribe against the innocent. Whoever does these things will never be shaken. Psalm 15 NIV

If we do what is said in The Word, we will never be shaken!

So what happens, if we don't do what's said in The Word?

Where is God's sacred tent? The heavens are His and those who live according to His Word and His Judgment will dwell with Him forever. Heaven is my home (my true resting place).

Those whose walk is blameless--we should be living epistles, read of men--and what they see should reflect who God is. This does not mean we--mere human beings are perfect--but we recognize our own shortcomings, acknowledge our fallibility, and apologize when we are wrong. This is what a righteous person does.

Who's speaking truth from their heart? Those who know The Lord--know that God is not a man that He should lie and that He is the same--yesterday, today, and forever for He has said, "I change not." It is men who change their minds--consistently--to the point that one could say, no one knows what men will do next. Since hearts are so fickle, can any human being speak truth from their heart if their heart is filled with the love of God, and truth of His Word? No--we cannot--for without His guidance, our knowledge and wisdom are faulty.

Whose tongue utters no slander--can we expect to live with God if we deliberately tell lies about others and even when proven wrong--refuse to back down--admitting we lied? No, we cannot slander others--allowing our egos to rule us and still expect to live for all eternity with God.

Can we treat our neighbors with contempt and show ourselves "unfriendly" when they make attempts to fortify longstanding alliances? No, if we do not respect and honor our neighbors--"love your neighbor as yourself"--we cannot expect to maintain alliances or to dwell in Heaven. President Obama was slandered by 45 and no one in the White House thinks he is owed an apology--since none is forthcoming.

Can we cast slurs on others and still expect to make into Heaven? No--we cannot accuse others of doing something they did not do--without apology or acknowledgment of our being wrong. The British Intelligence Community was accused of doing something they did not do simply because of a lack of knowledge and investigation on the part of the White House team.

It would appear that 45 honors the vile person in Russia and yet despises the honorable in America--President Obama, our Intelligence Community, and our federal judges.

Anyone with seeing eyes and hearing ears can see that 45 has failed to keep his oath of office--when he puts his own personal interest (family/business) or those of his billionaire buddies ahead of the best interest of all Americans.

He has no interest in assisting the poor and with the proposed budget and changes in healthcare--he actually will oppress the poor.

We also know that 45 bribes and has been bribed and has no problem with the concept.

And that is why the White House has been shaken--they are operating on overdrive trying to combat all the negative publicity generated by the shortsighted 45 and his relentless ego-driven tweets. Not only are they shaken, but they can rest assured--they will not dwell for all eternity with God.

For the rest of us--as long as we do what God says and speak His Truth--we will never be shaken by unfolding events.

Nevertheless

Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh. For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh—though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless. But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.Only let us live up to what we have already attained. Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do.For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Philippians 3 NIV

There is so much that can be said by way of a commentary to this passage of scripture, but I suggest that anyone reading this and others--let it marinate--steep--settle--into your spirit and then hear what God has to say.

I do not have a problem saying the same thing over and over and over again and will most likely do so until I hear church leaders repent from their lying ways.

When people lie--they are the enemies of god and Paul gives us a perfect picture of what they do--their god is their greed--in money and power; their minds are set on earthly things like--a Supreme Court Justice who will do their bidding.

How do we know the enemies of God? They do not live according to God's Word. They do not make considerations for the poor and the needy--the vulnerable who either have no voice or do not know how to articulate their needs. In political arenas--they cut funding to assist the poor, making excuses to enrich the wealthy at the expense of all others. They lie against those who think differently than they do and they encourage those who follow them to promote the lies.

God has a response for them and they will know it sooner than later for when all is said and done; God still has the last Word and He will pronounce it publicly for all the world to see.

I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ nor am I ashamed to speak on behalf of those who may not have the same venue or platform that I do. And I will speak out--often and loudly. I will also encourage any who love The Lord as I do--to live according to His Word, and not the dictates and false propaganda perpetuated by the pseudo-christians who have not the love of God dwelling within.

I have no fear of losing my mansion in heaven because I know I am doing as I am directed to do by my Heavenly Father and others--I will not hear, for they have not heaven or hell for me.

As long as there are lies spread abroad by those professing to be Christians, yet are not living the life (and we can see by what they do), I will speak out against all church leaders who mislead God's people. And if I have to call them out by name--I will not hesitate to do so since their actions are public knowledge and I have nothing to lose, yet everything to gain by making people aware of who they are. Some are televangelists--many of who I have stopped paying attention; some are traveling evangelists--whose words don't line up with God's Word nor do their actions; some are bloggers and authors--who consistently publish their nonsense on the Internet.  Oh yes, I know who they are and anyone with a discerning spirit also knows who they are. Those in the pulpits in various churches who lie to their congregants--will have to deal with God since I won't visit them to verify or confirm what they say.  They know who they are. 

And if anyone--I do mean anyone--thinks God cares about our political views that don't align with His Word--they are seriously deluded for Christ did not die for Republicans or Democrats. He died so that anyone--and He meant that--anyone who chose to believe would be saved  (John 3:16) and there was no other criteria established by Him; but man has perverted God's Word to promote their own agenda as they are prone to do.

Nevertheless, I say once more that we all will stand before God on that great day and give an account what we have done in the earth--did we promote Jesus or political ideology that did not demonstrate God's love for all?

Who Will Enter?

LORD, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain? The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart; whose tongue utters no slander, who does no wrong to a neighbor, and casts no slur on others; who despises a vile person but honors those who fear the LORD; who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and does not change their mind; who lends money to the poor without interest; who does not accept a bribe against the innocent. Whoever does these things will never be shaken. Psalm 15 NIV

I am so thankful that God loves me--loves us all--for He did not come down to save just me, but all who would accept the gift of salvation through His shed blood.

There's a song that many churches--especially in the Black Community --sing, "Down through the years, God's been good to me," and when I look back over my life, I can sing that song with reverence because He has been so good to me. Not that I've been perfect--there are no perfect people--but because I recognize Him for who He is and I try to live according to His Word.

In order for anyone to live according to God's Word, they must first know it. When we get into The Word--we learn how God wants us to live--and if we're honest with ourselves--we see The Word as a mirror--reflecting back to us who we are and where we fall short. Even when we fall short--His mercy and grace--sustain us--renewing our determination to get living right for Him. It is because of His mercy and grace--that we can know without doubting, whether we will enter into His presence at the end of our journey on this side of Heaven.

When David wrote the few verses above, He understood--not because he had read a bible as we know it, but because of the teachings from a child--by his family about God's goodness and what He had always done for the Children of Israel. David was not a perfect man, but he was a man after God's own heart in that he recognized when he was wrong and repented, seeking God's forgiveness.

If a person never recognizes when they are wrong and won't do anything to correct the wrong, they will never enter into God's presence.

When John--the Baptizer--was on his journey throughout the region, "crying in the wilderness" as we're told, "Repent, Repent, for the kingdom of the Lord is at hand." He was the precursor for Jesus--warning people that they must admit being or doing wrong and setting things right. Though John was beheaded for telling the truth--he knew where he would spend eternity.

Do we know? Can we know? I know there's a mansion in heaven with my name on the door plate and I have determined that nothing and on one is going to impede my arrival--I will enter my promise--as Jesus told it.  "For in my Father's House are many mansions."

Now think about this: we who are laborers for The Lord--the little people--the caring people, the benevolent people, the people who given generously to those in need, the people who give of their time and talents to fight injustice and to defend the rights of the poor and needy, we have a right to enter in and know with assurance we have a place for all eternity as a reward for the sacrifices we've made to help others out of obedience to God.

Then there are those who have done nothing for anyone, but expect everyone else to do for them. They are self-centered, thin-skinned and think the world revolves around them. They are quick to criticize others, but get angry when others criticize them. In their minds, they are the only ones who are right and everyone else is wrong. And that's a description of the Tweeter-in-chief who feels like it is "his right" to be president, when all the evidence surfacing reveals he got to that point--by corruption and deception.

He believes he is above the law and in fact thinks laws were not meant for him and unfortunately, the so-called religious, family values group of lawmakers are doing nothing--at this moment--to correct his thinking. What they are doing is allowing him to think, he can change our democracy into a dictatorship ruled by Putin with him as his puppet.

Will they enter into God's presence at the end of life's journey? Not according to His Word. I don't know where they will spend eternity but I do know that liars will be thrown into the lake of fire for eternity.
Where will you spend eternity? I'd love for all I know to spend eternity with me in heaven, but that is not my choice; it is every individual's choice and all I can do--is to make sure all I know--have been made aware of their options. Jesus is Lord and He loved us--each and everyone--enough to die for us and I am determined to love Him enough to live for Him. Will you join me?

Father, in the name of Jesus, we thank You for loving us enough to come down from heaven, living in the likeness of man, experiencing all that we would experience in life, and yet willing--with all the flaws you saw in us--looking ahead through the years--and yet still decided to hang a cross for our sins. Forgive us for not understanding how much You love and teach us daily how we're to live and treat others. Encourage and embolden us to always speak truth as You give it to us, no matter what others may think. And for any who have not already accepted You as their personal Savior, move upon their hearts to receive You, now. In Jesus' name we pray and thank You, Amen!

Recognizing The Foolish!

The mocker seeks wisdom and finds none, but knowledge comes easily to the discerning. Stay away from a fool, for you will not find knowledge on their lips. The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception. Fools mock at making amends for sin, but goodwill is found among the upright. The wise fear the LORD and shun evil, but a fool is hotheaded and yet feels secure. A quick-tempered person does foolish things, and the one who devises evil schemes is hated. Proverbs 14:6-9, 16, 17 NIV

What is a mocker? A person who makes fun of others--appearances, values, and beliefs. They attempt to humiliate at every turn, thinking themselves to be superior to others.

One example of a mocker is the atheist who makes fun of other Believers. They say things like: our praying to an invisible God may as well as be praying to a spaghetti monster. Another example of a mocker is someone who makes fun of another person's disabilities by exaggerating facial expressions, voice tones, or movements. And then these mockers think--they are wise in their own sight.

The "wise in their own sight" are often looked upon as being foolish because they never listen to others when people attempt to admonish them because of their attitudes or behavior. We see this every day--those who think they know something when they don't.

I  (and many others) am extremely offended by the latest attempts of Donald Trump to "reach out to African Americans" on a number of levels. First of all, he's not reaching out to a group of people when none of them are in his immediate presence. Secondly, if he wants to "reach" people, he might want to start off with more factual information about who they are rather than statistics that are easily debunked. Using a broad stroke of overgeneralization to describe any group of people is insensitive and negates the accomplishments or achievements of others within that group. What he said was racist and derogatory. Not all Black Americans are living in poverty; not all Black Americas are ignorant or stupid (the underlying meaning of his saying, "your schools are no good"), and most of the young people--the teens (his 58%) are high school students who are concentrating on avenues that will earn them scholarships for college.

His entire speech about reaching out to African Americans was mocking.  "What do you have to lose taking a chance on Trump?" Considering the ethnic persuasion of the audience he was addressing at his rally, he wasn't talking to Black Americans. His campaign manager, Kellyann states, "all his rallies are open to the public and African Americans can attend." This is particularly interesting when a man--with brown skin--of Native American heritage was removed from one of his rallies.

Reiterating his approach, "What the hell do you have to lose?" We lose the hell altogether that a Trump presidency represents and keep reaching for heaven--knowing there are no racists there. In recent news--a white man--claiming to belong to racist group--admitted to stabbing a black man when saw the man kissing a white woman. Not that their relationship was any of his business, but he took upon himself to try to kill a man simply because of his skin color. That's what the foolish evoke in others--that's what Trump ideology is creating in a society in which many of us had hoped was behind us. So, no--we don't want Trump's brand of anything and that will ring loud and clear on November 8th.

And this is how we recognize the foolish--when they do really stupid things--in a public forum and think they are believable. Love trumps hate and mockery!

Soon and Very Soon!

And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Revelation 21:3-8 KJV

When we understand the vision John had and know deep within our hearts that God always has our best interests at heart--we can find comfort in His Word, not fear.

We can be comforted in knowing that no matter how foolish men and women act life, there will come a time when all will stand before God and give an account of what we've done.

We can know--with assurance--that it won't be long now--not based on our calendar days, but in God's timing--before we begin our second life--living with Him for all eternity.

Looking at all the turmoil and violence in the world--with all the confusion about "everything" I can only cry unto the Lord, "Come quickly!"

We know that God is not the author of confusion and since He is not--Satan is.

We know that God does not promote hatred and fear and since He does not--Satan does.

More importantly, we know that when people ignore God or refuse to obey Him, He allows the enemy to wreck havoc in our lives--until we reach the place where we understand, we can do nothing without Him.

We are our own worst enemy when we refuse to obey Him in all things.

All of the foolishness over which people get angry and rebellious will soon pass away.

There is no politics in Heaven for the King of Kings is sovereign. There are no religious banners denoting which denoting different denominations hanging in Heaven for there is but One Lord!

There is no sickness and disease in Heaven and no reason for there to be pain.

There is no difference of opinion in Heaven for only the like-minded in Christ shall reside there.

There is no black or white or red or brown or any other barrier in Heaven that will separate humanity (in its glorified body) from enjoying The Lord!

Hallelujah! Soon and very soon!

Weeping For The Lost!

Jesus wept. John 11:35

Why did He weep? In the scriptural record, He wept because of the death of a friend--Lazarus--at least that's what we see on the surface.

If we delve a little deeper, we understand that He was not weeping because Lazarus was dead--He knew He would rise again--He wept because He loves us and knew that even though He was willing to give His life for us--some of us would be remain lost due to our refusal to accept Him and all He has done for us.

When Lazarus died--it was part of the plan to reveal who Jesus really is--and the power He holds over life and death. The religious leaders got it and feared Him. Though they claimed to serve God, they did not know Him and were simply going through religious traditions in order to make themselves feel superior.

Amazing how some of us still have a need to feel superior to others. We are not! We all live and breathe the same way (unless we're using artificial assistance) and our blood runs red--no matter what color our skin, no matter what our beliefs are--no matter what our gender is (male or female) and He loves us all! It is because of love that He wept then and is still weeping--because so many are lost and will never enter into heaven.

While journeying on earth, He told us, "No man (or woman) comes to the Father (who is in Heaven), except through Him." John 14:6 (explained) Until we accept Jesus as Lord of our lives and our personal Savior, we will never see The Father in Heaven.

And for that--He is still weeping--for all who are lost--in this world and in the world to come.
For those of us who are filled with the compassion of Christ, we also weep for the lost--both naturally and spiritually--knowing that those who died without having received His love will not get a second chance. We may weep in mourning for those who have died, but we can rejoice in the knowledge that if they had accepted Christ as their personal Savior, they will rise again to live with Jesus forever.

So, while we yet have a chance to turn to The Lord--repenting from sin and choosing to live according to His Word--let's do it and encourage others to live for Him so He won't have to continue weeping for them.

In Heaven Now, or Later?

Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground. These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. Hebrews 11:36-40 NIV

Most Believers know that Hebrews 11 defines what faith is, and records those who were faithful unto death, but how many of us have read beyond "the faith" of others to see where they are and where others may be?

Many preachers, pastors, families of the deceased comfort themselves with thinking that when people die, they immediately go to heaven or the other place. According to this passage of scripture and in other passages, we see that none are in place yet! When we die, according to God's Word spoken to Solomon--our spirits go back to God, our bodies return to the dust and souls await judgment.  
However, judgment won't occur until Jesus has returned and we are standing before The Throne to hear our fate, together with all who have gone ahead of us.

Now as harsh as that may sound--especially for those who want to believe their loved ones are already in heaven--we must all teach truth and accept truth. None of our loved ones are in heaven, yet! Telling people that loved ones have gone on to heaven is about as foolish as people going to a cemetery talking to the dead. "The dead know nothing" so they cannot hear or feel anything.

I do understand that people are ritualistic by nature and feel they must do something, but to what end? The greatest use of our time--whatever time we have left would be better used in promoting the Gospel to those who are yet breathing, for once we stop breathing, there's no time left.

I have also come to conclusion that funerals are a waste of time as well. Now, I know there are those who believe this is a final opportunity to tell someone good-bye, but those who are dead won't know who's there and if we really want to be a comfort to the remaining family, we should be available to them when they need someone to listen to them or just to encourage them to keep living for The Lord.

There is an industry out there that capitalizes on grief and we spend millions of dollars a year holding onto traditions that most can't afford. What better use could we find for that money? Have a memorial service and give the money to charities who are trying to help people live or to those who are sincerely spreading the Gospel to a dying world.

It's time--no way past time for many of us to learn to say good-bye to people while they can hear us and to show them how much we love them, while they are alive and can enjoy our sentiments. When they're dead--it's too late--and we need to learn how to let it go--for we can do absolutely nothing to bring them back and all we end up doing is making ourselves feel worse.

Encourage One Another With These Words!

"According to the Lord's Word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore, encourage one another with these words." (I Thessalonians 4:15-18 NIV)

On a subject that not many care to discuss, but should--death. There is one reality that all must face--we are born to die, unless the Lord returns before that event occurs. However, though there is a physical death, we can look forward to rising upon His return so that we will be with Him forever.

On a secular scale--most people simply see death as a natural occurrence--and it is. But for those of us who are living a Spirit-filled life, we know that physical death is simply part of the transition to getting into heaven.

For those who are truly Believers, death should never frighten us; especially if we have lived our lives to please God. While there are those around us who are dying daily, from sickness and disease, and we're praying--we should be mindful that when a person dies who has suffered pain and anguish, death is also a form of healing for when they are gone--their suffering ends. 

And while we miss loved ones who go before us--if they knew the Lord, we can be thankful that they, too shall reign with Him when He makes His glorious return.

For this reason--so all will rise at the sound of the trumpet and command--Believers should be a witness of God's mercy and grace, telling all they can the Good News about the work on the Cross. When we become saved--our job is just beginning--for the Lord would have all men to be saved and once we have accepted the sacrifice Jesus made for us and are living for Him, we should want everyone we know to know the Savior who loves us. And we should keep telling the good news until we reach the stage of our own transition.

Therefore, death as a conformity of life--should not be feared, nor should we spend time grieving over much for those who have made the transition, but we should rejoice in the knowledge that one day--they shall rise and reign with us, all with The Lord. Though our hearts may hurt for a time, our spirits should soar and heal the hurt--remembering all the good things and continuing to spread the Gospel until we are finished with earthly works.

While we yet have time to do so--and we must make the most of every hour we have--we need to share the love of God and encourage all to Believe in our Risen Savior so we won't have to be sad when they depart this earthly realm. We encourage others to get into The Word of God, develop a relationship with Him, and know that when we're gone--they will seek The Lord for comfort and be assured of our rising from the dead upon His return--before all who are left alive--whose hearts belong to Jesus.

Therefore, when we experience consoling someone who has lost a loved one or even if we lose a loved one, encourage all with these words--their end is not The End--if they know The Lord.

When Hurt Feelings Lead To Repentance!

"Even If I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it--I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while--yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death." (2 Corinthians 7:8-10 NIV)

For all the blog posts, articles, and scripture references that have been used to encourage obedience, ignite repentance, and inspire desire to please God--we should all be thankful.

Why should we be thankful when people hurt our feelings--according to The Word? Because sometimes, we are so caught up in doing what we want to do--those things that please flesh--we forget that the desire of a Christian should be to please God and that means--when we get off track, someone has to be courageous enough to remind us of truth--even if it hurts--for a moment.

Let's face it--no one who thinks they know how to cook appreciates being told their food is lousy. No one who thinks they know how to write appreciates being told their writing stinks. And no one--especially women--likes being told that what they're wearing is not flattering, when they think it is.

Encouraging people to live according The Word to please God is an arduous task--one not many will undertake because they know truth hurts--even the one speaking truth is often stung by it. But if The Word stings--and hurts and slices and dices our consciences, then The Word is doing its job. Usually--for people who really want to please God--once we get over getting our feelings hurt and own up to what we've done or are doing--we repent and get back on track--the path which God had set us upon from the beginning.

When Jesus said, "Do not suppose I came to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword." (Matthew 10:34). The sword--God's Word is a two-edged sword--cutting into our consciences when heard  and spoken. Jesus knew that even though He is The Word, He had to speak The Word--to ignite sorrow and repentance.

If we never tell our children what they are doing is wrong, they never have to repent of wrong-doing. However, as children of the most High God, when we read The Word, explication of The Word, or hear The Word, if there is any sin in our lives, our hearts should pricked (our feelings hurt) and we should repent--once we get over our hurt feelings. Just as most parents love their children enough to correct their behavior, God loves us even more--since He is our heavenly Father.

It's time to grow up--man-up/woman-up--and take correction as provided in The Word, get over our hurt feelings and repent of all our wrong-doing. When we make a decision to please God, He gives us favor and the desires of our heart.

Over the past few months--there have been a number of articles written about the Supreme Court decision regarding gay marriage. I have written some of them--not to bash people because of their lifestyle, but to slice their consciences with The Word, reminding them what God said--not me and hopefully, leading them to repentance after they got over feelings being hurt.

The role of every Believer is to seek opportunity to share the Good News--though we may have sinned, we have a Savior who loves us enough that He died for us, that we would have opportunity to reign with Him, forever. If we are not willing to repent of our sins, we cannot reign with Him and our destination for all eternity has already been prepared in the lake of fire. My desire is to see everyone I know and even those I don't know--saved from the lake of fire--and living to please God, not man or flesh. So, if I've hurt some feelings along the way, good. If the hurt feelings have led to repentance--even better. For without repentance, we cannot enter into 
 Heaven. 

 
myBook.to/Normal and myBook.to/TurningForce speaking truth according to The Word, igniting Godly sorrow, leading to repentance!

Blessed Because He Chose Us!

"Praise awaits you, our God, in Zion;to you our vows will be fulfilled. You who answer prayer, to you all people will come. When we were overwhelmed by sins, you forgave our transgressions. Blessed are those you choose and bring near to live in your courts! We are filled with the good things of your house, of your holy temple." (Psalm 65:1-4 NIV)

In the midst of trials and tribulations,
He looked upon us with compassion
Poured out grace and mercy abundantly,
Waiting for us to see our ways would not allow us in
To the place He had prepared for us for all eternity,
But loved us enough to die for us, while we were yet in sin,
Forgiving us over and over again, loving us in spite of us,
Choosing us to participate in His goodness and victory,
Choosing us to live with Him past our natural deaths,
Blessing us while we live, naturally, so we can be witnesses
Of His continual grace and mercy, promoting the Gospel
Of love and salvation to all who will hear and accept;
Praising Him for victory over sinfulness--daring to break free,
Choosing to live life as He ordained it--obediently.

Blessed are we, by He who chose us before we were ever born,
Blessed are we, by He who sacrificed Himself so we might live,
Blessed are we, by He who made victory possible over all things,
Blessed are we, by He who inspired praise as our hearts sing,
Songs of worship, adoration and praise for all He has done,
Encouraging our boldness, reflecting over victories won,
Over addictions and predilections to go our way, down the broad road,
Where everyone, doomed to the same fate walked and dared not stray,
Afraid of what others would think, if they chose another path, much narrower,
Where there would be no crowd, no hoops and hollering heard, just a few,
Faithful, delivered and set free to focus on God's goodness and He path he chose,
For all He loves, but few love Him enough to see, just how wonderful this path could be,
Loving Him enough to live for Him, doing what's right at all times, knowing He never slumbers,
Is not hard of hearing and certainly never forgets our pleas to Him in the quiet of the night,
Or in the middle of a raging storm, either physically or spiritually, He is yet on His throne,
Mighty in majesty, caring for His own, like no other can and certainly, He loves those He chose,
To live and reign with Him, forevermore.

And when we arrive--at the gate of His choice, will we be ready to lift our voice,
In praise of Him who loves and dies for those He loves so we can be judged, righteously?
Though the journey to heaven gets marred by obstacles thrown in our way,
Just look to Him, He chose us and He'll never let us stray if our focus is stayed upon Him.
Speak up--aloud so all may hear, we have no fear of man or what they may do, Our God,
In Heaven, will respond to prayers that are earnestly heaven-sent--with solutions,
To all problems as He guides us through His Word, once we read it we'll know, Yes, He heard.
And Now we know--His rights can't be wrong; and His wrongs can't be right;
We must learn to live, according to what He says, since we're always in His sight,
And remember, we are blessed because He chose us!

Why Jesus Said, "Whoever Lives By Belief In Me Will Never Die!"

"I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25,26 NIV)

Within John's record of the life of Jesus, Jesus says, "believes" fourteen times and in the rest of the New Covenant, it is mentioned eleven other times. Of course in the King James Version, the word believeth is used (meaning the same thing) and occurs in both Old and New for a total of forty-five times. Since I'm expounding on what Jesus said and why, let's take a closer look at why belief is so important.

Whatever a person believes--has immoveable faith in--good or bad, that is usually indicative of how a person lives. If they believe in a horoscope--they live their life according to the horoscope. If they believe Oprah Winfrey is wiser than God, they live their life according to Oprah. If they believe than one political party is superior to another, they live their life supporting that party and criticizing the other. If people believe they'll become rich by gambling, they gamble on a regular basis (and the lottery is gambling). If they believe that God's Word can ever be changed to pacify fleshly dictates, they live their lives doing whatever they want because they do not understand--God's Word never changes and neither will His judgment. 

But let's get back to what's taking place in Jesus' life when He said what He said. He had been that Lazarus was sick and instead of going to him immediately, Jesus delayed his departure. He told his disciples that Lazarus was sleep and they thought he was just asleep because of sickness. Jesus then told them, he was dead.

John 11:15-24

v. 15 And for your sake I am glad I was not there, so you may believe. But let us go to him.

v. 16 Then Thomas (also known as Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him."

v.17 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.

v. 18 Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem,

v 19 and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother.

v. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.

v. 21 "Lord," Martha said to Jesus, "If you had been here, my brother would not have died.

v. 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask."

v. 23 Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."

v. 24 Martha answered, " I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day."

And after Jesus asked her the question about what she believed, she said, she believed. I can imagine the heartache Martha felt over losing her brother and some have said (their interpretations of her statement) that she was accusing Jesus of waiting too long to come to them. She didn't understand the magnitude of what was about to happen, but she believed that Jesus would take care of it and He did.

Jesus waited until Lazarus was dead and buried so that all who observed Him would witness the miracle and share it with others. He simply looked unto His Father and then commanded Lazarus to come out of the tomb and he did. Faith--can move mountains, cause the dead to rise and the sick to recover--if we will only believe--have immoveable faith in Him.

Lazarus rose from the dead to live again, but we don't know how long he lived until he succumbed to natural, then. What we do know is that all are appointed a time to die, naturally, but those who believe Jesus is the resurrection and when He returns, the dead shall rise and the rest of us caught up with Him, shall live for all eternity in heaven.

We simply have to believe--having faith in Him--and not man's suppositions about death and dying, sickness and disease, sin and holiness. If we believed and lived our beliefs in Him, the world would be in a much better place. Do we believe that Jesus is the Son of God? Do we believe that His blood, shed on the cross at Calvary, was shed for us--that we might have access to heaven, through Him? Do we believe that we have the power--through Holy Spirit--to live without sin in our lives? If the answer is yes, we believe, then why aren't we living what we say we believe? Our active obedience to God demonstrates our love for Him and our belief--our immoveable faith in Him. Lord, help us!

More about what Jesus said and why, next time.

Is It Time, Yet?

“At that time,” declares the LORD, “I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they will be my people.” (Jeremiah 31:1 NIV)

Through the prophet, Jeremiah, The Lord speaks and tells him to share with the people that there will come a time when He will be the God of all the families of Israel and they we will be His people.
Now, at the time this was spoken, the children of Israel were in captivity, trying to survive. God tells them all who survive will find favor in the wilderness and He will build them up again into a great nation--when they realize who He is and obey (to keep this context, one must read all of Jeremiah). They could not see it then pretty much the same way people don't understand what God is saying now.

Before the appearance of Christ--the prophets spoke to the literal children of Israel. Now, that we who believe have been adopted into the family, the prophets yet speak--to the literal nation of Israel as well as spiritual Israel--those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.

And yet, we have not reached a place in history where all the families of Israel (natural and spiritual) have chosen to obey God, so can we say--the time is now? With all of the dissidence and chaos in the Middle East, Asia, and seemingly all of the earth, I don't think we have reached that time yet. Of course, I've drawn this conclusion based upon the current events that are constantly indicating a lack of reverence for the ways of God in how we treat people.

For as long as people are influenced by the enemy more than they are influenced by Holy Spirit, we have not reached the time, the prophet reveals. When people choose to kill spouses and children rather than just leaving--it's not time. When children are abused and killed by parents--it's not time. When living in opposition to everything God says in His Word is promoted from the highest authorities (wickedness in high places)--it's not time. Just as those in Israel are being persecuted and killed for their faith because they do not want to harm others, and being brought into captivity, so are those who are influenced by the enemy--that grandmaster of hate--Satan--who influences others to obey the lusts of their flesh more than the Word of God.

But there is hope for those who refuse to cave to the political agenda to undermine The Word of God. We must hold fast to His Word, obey His Word, and watch as His Will is revealed in all the earth. For those of us who are willing to obey, promote the Gospel, and love as God loves--we will see this time come to past--when all will recognize that our God is God! We will receive our just rewards for obedience and allegiance to Him rather than Satan and all of his cohorts. We will spend eternity in heaven while all the rest will spend eternity with their master in the lake of fire. We will be victorious over the influences of the enemy and we will watch him--as he sees his own demise exposed for all the world to see.

Is it time, yet? Not yet, but soon and very soon, we will see our Risen Savior coming in all His glory to take us to be with Him.

Watching and Waiting With Hope!

"But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me." (Micah 7:7 NIV)

Watching the news is depressing with all of the negative reporting. Human beings slaughtering other human beings because of difference of opinion. Kids killing kids. Teens assaulting teachers. Teachers involved in illicit sexual activity with students, Husbands killing wives. Wives assaulting people on the road. Extreme weather conditions causing people despair. Foolish people venturing out in extreme weather conditions causing others to be precarious positions trying to rescue them. Judges ruling on the side of evil incarnate and in opposition to God. Where will it all end?

It will end--all of it-when Jesus returns and for those who have chosen to live without His guidance, they will be left behind to deal with the consequences of their choices.

While I wait in the hope of His glorious return, I watch and pray and pray and watch. I pray and watch. I cry out to the Lord and I know He hears my cries, but He will not override a person's will. So, I pray for those who are living in opposition to seek Him while He may be found. I pray for those who are the cause of evil to reach the end of themselves. I pray for parents to become Godly parents, understanding right from wrong and teaching their children the same and how to respect others.

I pray for teachers to be adults with integrity to teach their students and not become physically involved with them. I pray for the students to be wiser and more interested in amassing an educating than in seducing or enticing or being enticed by their teachers.

I pray for preachers to be men and women of integrity, exercising wisdom given from on high, inspired to teach God's Word, based upon God's Word and His intent for all mankind. I pray for those attending churches--that they will read the bible for themselves and seek God for understanding, not allowing mere mortals to entice them away from God's intent.

I pray for all of mankind to receive God's love so they'll be able to love others and stop the killing. I pray for all of us to hear God when He speaks and that we will obey Him, in promoting the Gospel and loving one another.

I'm watching and waiting with hope in my heart to see change in hearts of people--that we'll do better and be ready when He returns. And while I'm waiting, I'm writing--trying to motivate others to live for The Lord in all things, seeing Him as the example as how we do it.

Too Many To Count!

"After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands." (Revelation 7:9 NIV)

Contrary to the belief of some, those who believe that only 144,000 will make it into heaven, we see in this verse--based upon John's vision--a great multitude--too many to count--from every nation, tribe, people, and language--standing before the throne of God and the Lamb. How awesome is that? The "remnant" is so many we can't be counted!

What's more important to understand about this particular verse is--those standing before the throne of God--were not there because of their religious affiliation to any specific denomination. They were not there because of their race, ethnic origin, geographic location, or economic status or educational background. No--they made it to the place of their desire because of their obedience to God and acceptance of His Son and the work on the cross. How simple is that?

So basically what this means is there should be no division between people earth on earth because there will be no segregation of those standing before God in heaven. All Believers--followers of Jesus Christ--should be able to come together in fellowship and not see anything other than the glory of God surrounding us. If we ever get the "in-fighting" stopped, thinking that one religious group is superior to another, then we'll be able to do what God has asked us to do, and when we stand before Him, we won't notice anything about anyone else other than--they made it!

What are we waiting for? His Hand to reach down and pull us together or spank us for disobedience? If we believe The Word of God, have an intimate Relationship with Him, then we should be able to do what He told us to do--go into all the world, preaching the Gospel and accepting all into the fold. If we can't accept all into the fold of Believers, then there really is no need for us to go into all the world because in the world--there are all types of people!

There are people of mixed ethnicity, different shades of black, red, brown, white; there are different cultures with different traditions and different celebrations and different ideas and thoughts, but if all the differences are set aside to believe in the Creator God, God the Son, and Holy Spirit---what then is the problem?

Since we create biases based upon racial differences, we need to stop thinking about ethnicity and think the human race. That is the only race that concerns God and it should be the only race of people concerning us. If we cannot treat all human beings well, we will never see the end result in heaven, but even so--there will be so many of us there--too many to count--and it is not His desire that any should be left out of that number.

On That Highway!

"And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way. The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it." (Isaiah 35:8 NIV)

When we picture or think about the word, "highway" we have a different perception of highway than Isaiah did when he was speaking to the Children of Israel--encouraging them to live for The Lord in obedience to Him.

Artists have written songs about the highway to heaven and what is going to be found there--probably based upon this scripture--if the entire chapter is read.

"No more crying, no more hunger, no more blind, no more deaf, no more lame, there will be peace--since no more wars will be possible."

Highways--as we see them now--are links or connections to faraway places or at least a short-cut to get across the city (our freeways). What we see on those highways are speeding vehicles on infinite slabs of concrete with bridges overhead and cities underneath them and occasionally emergency vehicles summoned to handle an accident which leaves debris and becomes hazardous for other drivers. Sometimes--our highways are the paths to destruction and they are certainly a cesspool of inconsiderate drivers who think they own the freeway.

However, going back to those times of old, Isaiah painted a vivid picture of a highway--not connecting us to another place here on earth, but the path to heaven and all we could expect there. In addition to telling us what would not be there and what would, he tells us that the wicked fools won't be there, nor will those who are not saved--the unclean.

How do we know for sure? The only way we get into heaven is through the blood of Jesus Christ. "What can wash away my sins, nothing but the blood of Jesus!" We are cleansed through the blood of Jesus Christ, shed on the cross at Calvary! He died so we might live a sin-free life and left us here so we could encourage others to seek Him, accept Him, and be cleansed and made whole! What love He has for us!

Now, we have a decision to make and we must make it quickly. Time is winding down for the enemy to maintain a hold on people for he will surely be banished to the lake of fire and he is determined to take as many people as he can with him. We--who know how he operates, must be as diligent as he is to encourage others to connect with Jesus Christ so they will be spared and can walk on that highway, reserved for those who have been cleansed.

Father, in the name of Jesus, we come to You and thank You for loving us enough to prepare a place for us for all eternity. We thank You for giving us the boldness, courage and determination needed to encourage others to want to walk The Way of Holiness rather than the way of sin. We thank You for allowing us chance after chance to get living right with You and we give You all the praise and glory for it for You are the only One worthy of our praise! Amen!

His Return Policy!

"I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.” (Isaiah 44:22 NIV)

Many cities have return policies on cans, plastic, and glass beverage containers. We pay a deposit on the container and when we're finished with it, we can return to a store to "redeem" the same amount paid for the deposit. For those who forget about the deposit paid on a container and discard them, there are those who diligently seek them in garbage cans everywhere and when they find "their treasure" they return the container for a deposit they did not pay.

God so loved the world that He came down to earth in the person of Jesus Christ, lived among us, preached what His Father said, knew He came to die for us, hung on a cross for our sins, and provided a means for us to return to a right relationship with The Father with His Resurrection.
He paid the price through His death--the deposit we could not pay and now we can capitalize on the Return by simply turning away from and stop doing those things that keep us from being in a right relationship with God.

Isaiah prophesied God sweeping away our offenses like the ever-moving clouds, (with the work on the cross) and now He's waiting for us to return to Him, since He has already redeemed us.

He's waiting for us to realize the treasures He has stored up for us because of His love. How long will He have to wait? For some, the deposit will never be redeemed because the desires of the flesh reign and those who love to fulfill the desires of their flesh, never hear Him speak.

The price has been paid--the deposit on our lives to enter into the gates of heaven--even though we could not pay it, He has paid it for us and all we have to do is return to God--willing to live out His purposes for our lives.

Are we ready? Or will we wait too long and He Returns for those who love Him and some will get left behind, wondering what happened?

Time is running short and the enemy knows it! This is why greed and corruption rule the land, chaos and confusion keep people unbalanced and they think they are wiser than God, not realizing they have been duped by the devil who doesn't want to burn alone in the lake of fire.

Today, we have another chance to return to Him and receive the benefit for which we never paid. Let's do it and wipe the smirk off the devil's face!

World's Wisdom Vs. God's Wisdom

For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”  Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.(I Corinthians 1:19-21 NIV)

What is amazing to me is how anyone--with an ounce of sense--could possibly think they know more or are wiser than the All-Wise God!

Seriously? With our limited, finite ability to think or create anything of the magnitude of the universe, some think think they are wiser than God? And we know they are out there because of the chaos and confusion in the world.

People are confused about who they are. They are confused about right and wrong. They are confused when they think that God is applauding their killing others because of religious beliefs. They are confused about their biological parts and genders. They are confused about their roles in society. They are confused about raising children. And because the god of this world (Satan) has confused the minds of many, they look to--mere man--in the guise of judges who were appointed by "more men" to determine whether the wisdom of God is so.

O Foolish people! Who has bewitched you into thinking that man's wisdom will ever be greater than God's wisdom?

Look around you! God created the universe and all it contains, including mankind. What has man created (from nothing) that even comes close? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! What man has created with the elements and substances that God established are conveniences and those conveniences are destroying the atmosphere of the planet. Okay! So man has created the pathway of the demise of mankind. Now that's certainly something to brag about!

What God created--He created out of love for love. What man invents-is invented out of greed and desire to control. It was love that brought God down from heaven clothed in flesh, living among us and dying to save us from ourselves because of sin.

And yet sin abounds in the guise of changing laws and mere men think that God will be pleased. Woe unto us who know the power of salvation through Jesus Christ who support the nonsense of the world! And even though--there are those who refute the Gospel message and "reject" the work on the cross, they are simply demonstrating their lack of wisdom and innate foolishness when they think they know more than God. The same people who refute God's existence have never created anything (from nothing) other than noise and confusion--proof they are serving Satan--the evil one.

Perhaps, part of the problem is men don't understand the distinction between "creating" from nothing and "inventing" from something. They invent lies to support fleshly desires. They invent paths to influence people into all sorts of ungodliness. They invent devices to perpetuate even more ungodliness in influencing minds.

Therefore, God has allowed mankind to revel in its foolishness and will watch as we foolishly attempt to change His intent for mankind. Only those who know and understand God's Will for man will not quake at the devastation about to befall because of our Faith and Obedience to Him, to preach the Gospel of Christ whether in season or not, whether people want to hear it or not. Our God reigns!

It's Not Normal And God Said It First!

It has been said through various mediums (scientific studies, documentaries, etc.) that homosexuality is genetically determined before one is ever born. And because they were born this way, they claim their sexual orientation should be treated like any other birth defect or handicap. This theory is inconsistent with The Word of God. God never states that a birth defect or other anomaly or handicap is sin. He specifically states that the act of either men laying with men as they would a woman or women laying with women as they would men (homosexuality) is an abomination and those who practice it will not enter into heaven.

Let’s look at things another way. None of us are born gay or straight—we are born male or female (with a few exceptions pertaining to those born with both genitalia as a result of hormonal imbalances during gestational development). Babies do not lie in a hospital nursery right after they’re born with any conclusions about themselves. They are incapable of making any choices at that point. We choose what we do—and that becomes our sexual orientation—our actions which is why—some profess to be born—bi-sexual—they like having things their way—any way they can. Having an attraction towards someone of the same sex does not determine a person is gay. It is acting upon the attraction that puts one on the path of destruction and being labelled gay. Every one of us—chooses our actions.

We can be tempted to steal from a pile of money sitting in front of us for hours on end. We don’t become a thief until we actually steal some of the money. While this is a rather simplistic analogy, the premise is true for any situation. We do not become something until we act upon our desires.

And if God in His infinite wisdom, truly allowed someone to be born gay—surely, this is justification for them to become “born-again” and live the life God intended them to live, receiving all of His many benefits. This is why Jesus told Nicodemus that we must be “born again” in order to enter into heaven. (John 3:5 paraphrased).

It's Not Normal And God Said It First  available on amazon. com

http://www.amazon.com/Its-Not-Normal-Said-First-ebook/dp/B00SX3CR0W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422566801&sr=8-1&keywords=Its%27+Not+Normal%3A+And+God+Said+It+First

Only Those Who Follow, Know!

"Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." (John 10:25-27 NIV)

Why is this same debate still strong today? For the same reason it was debated then--if we don't follow Jesus, we cannot know who He is or that He is God and that He and the Father are one in purpose.

Trying to explain Jesus to people who have not submitted themselves to understanding by knowing The Word or having a relationship with God is pointless. Basically, those who debate or attempt to debate belief in Jesus are simply trying to undermine those who do. For those who have questions and genuinely want to know, their hearts are open to hear and understand. These are those who yet have a heart of flesh and not of stone. Flesh can be molded and shaped, while stone is resistant and knowledge simply bounces off or causes the stone to shatter into pieces and the pieces are ground into sand.

God does not want us to be ground into the dirt, broken without knowledge. He wants us to know Him, but the choice is ours. We can live the abundant life He plans for us or we can be shattered and lost in our unbelief. It's up to us.

And while some may say--"I'll give my life to Jesus tomorrow," tomorrow might be too late. Today, while you yet have a chance to open your heart to Him and hear Him say, "I love you and want only the best for you while on you're here earth and for you to live with me for all eternity when life on earth ends." Today, while there is breath in your body is the time to choose! Choose life because only those who follow Him, will know Truth at the end!

The God of Hope!

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:13 NIV)

The God of hope--not defeated, but victorious in all things, and gives to us the power through Holy Spirit to always have hope for the best in all situations.

The God of hope--fills us with joy and peace, not fear and doubt, but allows His joy--which is our strength--to overflow in troubling times so we are not discouraged, and can encourage others to trust in Him.

The God of hope--once expected to deliver The Children of Israel--their soon-coming Messiah--who chose to save and deliver the rest of us who choose to believe that He is and will be, all we will ever need to succeed in His plans while here on earth, and enjoy living with Him for all eternity.

The God of hope--who loved us enough to leave His heavenly throne to appear in the flesh and live among us, just as He promised, dying for us, yet rising from the dead, with victory over the evil one so we might have life and that more abundantly.

This what the God of hope does for those He loves and never leaves us alone!

Look forward not backwards and never allow the enemy to trick you into regretting a past that brought you to the throne of grace--loved, delivered, saved, and free to love in return.