Drop Your Rocks!

The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” John 8:3-11 NIV

Sin is sin--no matter what act a person commits and the Bible is very specific about the acts of sin--any deliberate act that opposes God's Word.

Being stupid or "extremely careless" is not a crime. If being stupid was a crime, there wouldn't be enough room in Texas, Florida, or California to hold all the stupid people. In fact, there would probably be more people locked up than free and then what would happen to our economy and military?

We tend to cry foul about some things because we want to draw attention to ourselves--especially those running for elected positions. How many times have we seen and heard--public outcry from politicians about the behavior of one and then have the tides turned upon them and all the cameras were facing them--for the same judgment--the same thing they were quick to condemn others for? I could take the time to list them, but it would be pointless--and their misdeeds are a matter of public record so anyone can search for them.

The point to all of this is--the FBI cleared Clinton of any criminal intent--saying she was "extremely careless" (which amounts to being stupid), but had not committed any crimes. Therefore, all those crying foul--should be silent a moment and think about their own lives and see if they, too should be indicted for being stupid.

Not one person reading this blog--unless they had access to all the facts--is in a position to judge the situation--not the director's decision or Clinton's actions. Anything and everything we say--including her opponents in this election cycle--is a matter of speculation and opinion and our opinions matter not--when facts are more important.

Of course, the media won't let this rest because it's a matter of ratings--who can be more sensational than another station or newspaper. I don't care what anyone else says, "extremely careless" is not a condemnation, but a reprimand and there is a difference in the definition of the words. But we understand--the stronger the language used--the more abhorrent the act seems--and everybody is picking up their rocks to throw.

Think about it--if you've ever done anything stupid, or were "extremely careless" about a decision or act--negligent if you will--drop your rocks. I can guarantee that anyone crying foul and wants to see her indicted, will soon have the cameras on them--facing possible indictments for real crimes--not imagined ones. History--always repeats itself--and when we don't learn from history--we keep making the same foolish decisions.

Drop your rocks and think about your own life and then determine within yourself--that you will seek wisdom before speaking--or judging another with opinions and not facts.

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.

Just a pic!

Who Will Be Exalted!

The eyes of the arrogant will be humbled and human pride brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day. The LORD Almighty has a day in store for all the proud and lofty, for all that is exalted (and they will be humbled), for all the cedars of Lebanon, tall and lofty, and all the oaks of Bashan, for all the towering mountains and all the high hills, for every lofty tower and every fortified wall, for every trading ship and every stately vessel. The arrogance of man will be brought low and human pride humbled; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day, and the idols will totally disappear. Isaiah 2:11-18 NIV

What is an idol? An image or material object representing a deity to which religious worship is addressed or any person or thing regarded with blind admiration, adoration or devotion, or a false conception or notion, according to the dictionary.

Given the definition of an idol and rightly interpreting the use in The Word, what idols do we have that we exalt above God?

Notice the last part of the definition--a false conception--that which is not true. The carved images to which some have given "power and authority" are false. The manufactured things given power and authority are false. The people for whom some have blind admiration and devotion to are not real--they are false and should never be exalted above God. But that's what we do--we exalt celebrities and their opinions above God's Word.

We exalt sin above righteousness and don't even recognize that the words we use have underscore where we our hearts really are when we "idolize" celebrities and other well-known people or ideologies that are opposed to God's Word.

We celebrate confusion and chaos that reign in the lives of all who believe God doesn't know what He's doing or did when they were born--idolizing that confusion and exalting it above God's Word and intent for mankind.

We idolize foolishness and ignorance as long it supports and promotes emotionalized views of bigotry and hatred against others.

In all of this idolatry and idolizing of things and people--we must understand the spirit behind our behavior. If we are not influenced by the Spirit of Righteousness, we are influenced by the spirit of evil by the arch enemy of God--Satan. It is Satan's influence that moved upon people to exalt their carved images above the obedience of God. The idols they created were given power and authority they did not have. But because the masses were blinded to truth, they worshiped the idols--out of ignorance.

We are yet doing the same thing today--worshiping idols, worshiping things and people--out of ignorance--giving them exalted status--false power and authority that doesn't really exist--above understanding God's Truth and intent for mankind.

But the day is coming--and it will be soon--when all the false gods will be exposed and fear will be embedded in the hearts of all who held the idols in greater esteem than God alone. When they see the consequences of their actions rising to crush them, they will attempt to run and hide, but there is no hiding place from God. He alone has created all that was ever created and He knows every nook and cranny of every mountain, every divide in all the bodies of water and He knows our hearts--whether they are good or evil.

Those who love The Lord and obey His Word know they have no need to fear the calamity that will fall upon all who have ignored God. They know a place has been established for them for all eternity to live in the presence of the Most High God. And in the day the calamity occurs--utter destruction--of all idols--whether people or things--then they will know that The Lord alone will be exalted!

When God Has Spoken!

Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong. Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow. “Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.”  For the mouth of the LORD has spoken. Isaiah 1:16-20 NIV

Pigs love wallowing in the mud, getting dirty and actually cooling themselves off. But many of us thinks pigs are the most disgusting animals since they'll eat virtually anything and yet--how many love bacon?

When people wallow in filth and come up smelling rotten and disgusting, we tend to judge their appearance the odor emitting from them, not realizing that sometimes our superficial judgments are way off. It is simply a matter of having to give a person a chance to clean themselves up before we make any final decisions. But then--there are some people--who love to live in the muck and the mire--not for any purpose other than that's where they choose to reside--and some people--appear to love those who dwell in the muck and smell to high heaven.

Through the prophet Isaiah, we see that God sees and knows exactly what we're doing and why, but He's giving us a chance to clean up our acts. We can be ceremonially (physically) clean, symbolically clean, and spiritually clean--and it's all up to us. Are we willing to wash and be clean? Soap and water will clean us ceremonially and physically, but they have no effect on our moral compass.  We can be symbolically by committing certain acts of--cleansing--using elements other than soap and water or we can be spiritually clean, by washing ourselves in the water of The Word.

Oh--that The Word would shower us, removing everything that is not like God from our souls and minds so we would see the benefit of obeying God! 

God is not blind or deaf and He warns us to take the evil deeds out of His sight and to stop doing wrong. We are to learn to do right--from a humanitarian perspective as well as a spiritual one. We are to seek justice--for all--the rich and the poor, the black and the white, every human being, without bias. We are to defend those who cannot defend themselves, the vulnerable who have lost hope--especially in our society where many things appear to be hopeless.

If we are willing to do what is required of us--no matter what others may say--and are obedient to God's Word--that we love one another as ourselves--then we shall have hope and access to all the good in the land.

What is required of us? Repentance and a determination to live according to God's Word. Constant communication with Him who is all we need for guidance and direction in every area of our lives. Submission to His Will and not our own--we must do things His way--if we're to receive His benefits. We must not see ourselves superior to other human beings, but accept the fact that we are made in His image, bleed red, and have the same needs--security, food, and shelter. And since we do not live in isolation, we must learn to live in harmony and peace with one another.

When God speaks to our hearts through His Word are we listening? Or have we become so hard-hearted that nothing He says to us, matters?

For the benefit of all mankind regardless of race, ethnicity, gender or belief--God has spoken and if we want to see a change in our society--across the land, we must be wiling to hear and obey.

Speak, Lord--for Your true servants are listening, willing and ready to obey!

Prayer For The Nations!

Hear me, you heavens! Listen, earth! For the LORD has spoken: “I reared children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against me. The ox knows its master, the donkey its owner’s manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.” Woe to the sinful nation, a people whose guilt is great, a brood of evildoers, children given to corruption! They have forsaken the LORD; they have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on him. Isaiah 1:2-4 NIV

Is this how The Lord sees us today?

I can imagine--I have a very vivid imagination--that God is looking down upon the earth, shaking His head in pure amazement at how far we've turned from Him. I can imagine Him thinking about all He has done for the creation--mankind--whom He loves and yet time after time, we have forsaken Him in pursuit of our own carnal desires. I can imagine Him thinking about the lessons we have not learned from events of the past which will revisit us again. I can imagine Him thinking how He wasted His time, coming down and living among men, determined to show us how much He loves, by His death and resurrection. I can imagine the tears falling--in the rain that decimates--because He is so sad with our plight in life. I can imagine Him turning His back to us, stopping His ears so He won't hear us--just as some of us have stopped up our ears and won't hear Him. I can imagine the pain He must feel--when our sin--deliberate actions--opposed to His Word--piercing Him even sharper than the nails that held Him on the cross and the spear that pierced His side. And I can imagine--that the blood flowing--all across the land--is the result of the anguish, He feels--gushing out from Him-- because we will not obey. I can imagine and I'm sure I'm not the only one!

Will we ever learn? Do we not see how our behavior causes God to grieve for us?

There is so much devastation across the globe that has led to loss of life and hope that the only way we can recover is to submit to God, completely. And if we don't, we'll continue to reap the just reward for our behavior.

Father, in the name of Jesus,

We stand before You--guilty as charged--of all You have asked us not to do as Your Children, and repent of our sins. Help us O Lord, to be mindful at all times that You and You alone are worthy of all praise and that we can grieve Holy Spirit when we refuse to obey. Help us to learn from the history recorded in Your Word so we'll not see the captivity of Your children by enemy forces. Help us to understand that every Word--written by inspiration--and recorded has a purpose for our lives. Help us O God to know with certainty when You speak and help us to quickly obey. O God, You have told us repeatedly what we must do in order to receive the blessings You have in store for us. Speak to the hearts of all who belong to You, and ignite in them--repentance and complete submission to You, so all can benefit from the obedience.

Father, You have said in Your Word, that if, "Your people (we) who are called by Your Name, will humble themselves and pray, seek Your face, and turn from their wicked ways, then You would hear and heal the land."

I am Yours and will not seek to please another. I'm seeking Your continued mercy and guidance for all the land and submit to the direction and leading of Holy Spirit and will speak as You give me direction to speak to all who will hear.

Keep us O Lord from receiving the full brunt of Your wrath because of our disobedience and disregard of Your Word. Forgive the ignorance in the minds of all who do not know You and create in them a heart and desire to know You and become one of Yours.

All this we ask and thank You for in Jesus' Name, Amen!

Let's Stick To The Issues!

This man was seized by the Jews and they were about to kill him, but I came with my troops and rescued him, for I had learned that he is a Roman citizen. I wanted to know why they were accusing him, so I brought him to their Sanhedrin. I found that the accusation had to do with questions about their law, but there was no charge against him that deserved death or imprisonment. When I was informed of a plot to be carried out against the man, I sent him to you at once. I also ordered his accusers to present to you their case against him. Acts 23:27-30 NIV

Whenever people have nothing of substance to add to a discussion, they inevitably turn to talking points that have nothing to do with the issues at hand. We know--those who Believe and accept God's Word as true--that Jesus was arrested, illegally tried, and crucified as part of a plot by those who were envious of the attention He received. And now, some years later in this passage of scripture, we see a repeat of the motive--envy and jealously over things the religious leaders did not understand. And since they did not understand it--it couldn't be true or right--according to their logic.

Throughout history, if we examined and analyzed every event microscopically, we'd see this scenario playing out over and over again and it hasn't stopped yet. When people "blow things out of proportion" because they do not understand them, it is a sign that they will do anything to accomplish their own self-centered goals to destroy another. When people are "outside the loop" of knowing--they tend to see conspiracy in all that others do, yet they are so blinded by their envy and agenda, they do not see truth about themselves. Why? Because they have nothing of substance to say about "real issues" that affect the lives of others.

There are serious flaws in our political system that allow a person who knows nothing to run for President of the United States. There should be some sort of vetting by a committee--not necessarily government officials, but people in the know--who determine the competency of anyone running for President. And this is beyond the criteria already established regarding citizenship and age.

What do we need to know about political candidates?

• Do they know and understand our nation's history--from beginning to present--and all of the changes that had to take place in order for this country to be "united" as one?
• Do they understand how government works? Were they paying attention in civics classes?
• Do they understand how global economy works and that a nation's economy can not be compromised by "bankruptcy" when debts are owed?
• Do they understand the importance of "relationships to develop partnerships" with other countries?
• Do they understand that conflicts with other countries cannot be solved by endangering civilians with "just bombing entire regions" to root out evil?
• Do they understand the potential fall-out from other countries who have been disrespected and maligned simply because no knowledge about how things are done "right" is known?
• Do they understand the potential for civil unrest and violence when promoting hate-mongering and fear-mongering when those tactics are only used by those who are insecure and love to intimidate others?
• Do they understand the importance of keeping Americans safe from the angst of other countries when we speak without thinking?
• Are they willing to set aside their personal interests when it conflicts with "what's best" for the country?

These are the issues that should be addressed before anyone is allowed to become "a great pretender" and think they have what it takes to sit in the White House. For if the answer to the above questions is "yes" then political campaigns can stick to the issues in setting methods to solve problems, not create them or waste their time with personal attacks which have no relevance in the greater scheme of things.

Though I may seem to be beating a dead horse on this issue of politicism, I have to say that comments regarding Bill Clinton have nothing to do with Hilary Clinton's ability to serve this country in the White House. It is merely a distraction and opportunity for those who keep bringing up his past because they have nothing of substance to present in making a case for bumbling ignorance we see in the other candidate. 

When it comes to the criticism of Hilary being untrustworthy and a liar--how does someone who has filed bankruptcy four times, leading to others losing their businesses, think they are trustworthy? And perhaps, he doesn't understand that constantly back-pedaling on issues he should have kept quiet about from the beginning--is lying. He apparently doesn't understand the principle behind "the pot calling the kettle black."

I simply pray that Hilary will not stoop to this level of personal attack that have no relevance in the greater scheme of things and that she'll stick to the issues and present a case to the American public that ensures the continued greatness of this country--in spite of what others say.

And for the rest of us--the voters in America--I hope we can make a decision that sticks to the issues and not personal biases about who is the best qualified for the job--whether we agree with a party platform or not.