When Humans Choose A King

When Humans Choose a King

2/28/13

It seems like the logical course that a person, group of people, or nation should take.  One person should be able to stand above all others to make the decisions that will make or break the goals that people share.  However, this process is one of the more complicated quagmires that one can endure.  Time and time again humans have tried their best to choose a person that will do the correct thing, and like every time in the past, we still cannot get it right.  There is one reason for this and it is because we have chosen to place our faith and hopes in man itself and that is self defeating from the outset of that very thought.  There is only one true answer that would correct all of our problems and provide humanity with every desire that it has ever needed.

When you read history about rulers, kings or territorial leaders, one will get a sense of some type of leadership skill that brought those people into their positions.  If you continue your research and dig deeper into their lives you will find that not all of them have proven to be the best at their jobs.  Each one began to serve out their terms as one that would be different than the previous ruler but everyone eventually made decisions that were not popular and many made decisions that cost them their lives.  Even though most leaders have good intentions for their constituents some do not always turn out to be fanciful towards the population abroad.  One thing that these leaders did have in common is that they were all humans and all humans will make mistakes in some fashion during their lifetime.

These mistakes and judgments are things that humans cannot get away from no matter how hard they try.  For these inherited conditions there is no escape and we have no choice but to live with our humanness until we draw our last breath.  All of us at one point in time will have to make the “command decision” about something that pertains to ourselves, our families or our land. 

God addresses this issue about kings and rulers way back in the Old Testament.  I am reminded of this passage on a continual basis these days because the animosity concerning God and religion has been heightened significantly by those who wish to totally separate themselves from God.  I understand this view from them because the Church has done a fabulous job in creating a secular mess that has totally engulfed the idea of God and Church.  While completing this task the Church has also quit advancing the Gospel of Christ and sat back in its pews and allowed the world to creep into its philosophy and general function, both of which are damnable compromises to the Kingdom of God.

The people come to God and ask Him for His blessing for their decision to grant them a king to lead over them.  God understood the reasoning behind this decision but He made it very clear to the people that He would allow this to happen but it would be a guarantee that they would not like it at all.  This must have been a total shock to the people concerning the answer God gave but none the less they proceeded to ignore God’s advice and chose to elect a king.

It was not too much longer that the country was divided on how things should be run and some of the decisions that the king and other “royalty” made really did not sit well with others.  The people refused to see that by this one act their lives would forever be changed into a divisive manner in which restoration as one voice might not ever be fulfilled again.  They also refused to acknowledge that God was right in His advice and that the only way to have any chance of survival would be to return to His ways.

This decision to elect a king by the people created an eternal division amongst humanity that would now take a miracle from God to correct.  Some people has always thought about why we made this decision in the first place but many people do not even give it a second thought and continue along their way living in constant division with their neighbors.  It does seem logical for our finite brains to want to believe that another human could correctly guide the paths that we all want to take, but when we look at our past we must realize that we cannot even choose to make the correct decision about which tree not to eat from.

Think about this “royal” decision and what consequences are in play today.  Now, look at all of the decisions by past governments, leaders, rulers and other past heads of state and think about what type of decisions that they made and how it affected those people; some even have lasting results up till today as well.  The political sides alone are deep enough to completely divide a nation into separable units that cannot even function properly, want an example of this?  Read a local newspaper and your eyes will be filled with great examples.  Read history and look at all of the decisions that kings and rulers made and read what consequences those decisions played in the lives of their people.

I could continue the example parade but I am going to end it with one last example and that is of our own country.  There has only been one time in our history that the election of a leader has been unanimous.  That election was our very first one and it was George Washington that was elected unanimously.  Now this is the funny part and it is sobering at the same time and it is this:  as soon as the unanimous results were announced the grumblings, concerns, angry tempers and other questions were immediately raised about the results of the elections.  The event of a unanimous vote was almost immediately denounced and ever since that moment this country has never been close to another high office unanimous election again.  Now, look at the continued division in our country and then search around the world for similar results.  It will be very easy to find them.

Many people have referred back to history and read about how religion once dominated the land and the laws of the land.  This is a valued point in their arguments against having religion in government.  One cannot ignore the atrocities that the leaders of the church committed against the people for not “obeying” the laws of the Church and land and how each person was in the cutthroat business towards their fellow brothers and sisters in order to gain favor of the Church.  But this is not the way Christ meant when He said to go forth in all of the land and teach the gospel.  However, it is a tremendous defining point our enemy uses with people to justify their reasoning that God is not a way for them and that they should have no part of Him whatsoever.  In other words, God gets a very bad rap for something that man actually accomplished, but that is the way kingdom operates and it is important for us to grasp this concept and hold onto it with all of our hearts.

It is very important for us to understand that we have created a huge problem within the societies around the world with our decision to place God as #2 or even as low as #1.2 million.  It is very clear that when we look to ourselves as having the answer for anything it will result in disaster for some people or for thousands of people.  We as fallible and faulty creatures, which this too is a result of our choices, try and place our trust and faith into other human beings for overall guidance, it simply will not work.  If you do not wish to read the Bible for examples, fine read your history books, not the ones that a certain group of people want you to read but the books that actually tell accurate descriptions of those events, from all sides of the issues. 

And for those of you that wish to read the Bible for examples, go right on ahead and have fun with it.  You will see that God had to deal with humans back in those days as well and the humans that you will read about there were just like the humans of today without any exceptions.  I know that some will totally reject what I have written about today and with a sad heart I have to say I know and that is ok.  I also know and understand that some will agree with what I have written but will not act upon it and that is ok as well, because in the long run it is your choice to make in every matter that concerns your life.  And something for you to remember is that God gave you the free will to choose in everything that you do up until the second you meet Him after the life that you know is completed.

DLB

The Pianist

The Pianist

2/27/13




Mankind is once again periled by another great loss.  And once again this loss will not be heavily publicized since the person who has passed did not regularly make headlines.  However, the person that we did lose did play a major role in an event that enveloped the world for over 50 yrs.  This person was not a famous entertainment personality nor was he a great orator on the political stage, yet his actions sparked a general warming between two societies that showed everyone in the world that even though we have differences of opinions concerning issues, all of us have at least one thing in common that links us all together. 

After World War II, one time allies began to argue over territory and other “valued” principles.  While this type of scene usually plays out after any conflict is completed, this example of division extended for decades and completely took over the world.  It was not a surprise event for millions of people saw it coming while WWII was still concluding.  However, many probably did not realize how much this game would dominate nations for decades to come.  Everyone was not giving an inch of ground in any way yet people were hungry for peace and would try to achieve this goal at almost any cost.

After years of trying to find some common ground an idea was proposed that really was a brilliant stroke of solitude for a weary world.  The year was 1958 and tensions were still running high between the two ideological worlds, but one side decided to throw out an olive branch by hosting the first ever International Tchaikovsky Competition.  The event was to be held in Moscow and would be open to anyone who met the musical requirements; politics aside for this event.

Artists from around the world applied and were accepted to play for the top prize.  As stated in the competition standards, it did not matter where the contestants came from nor did it matter what their political or religious beliefs were, all were welcomed to compete.  There were more than one musical category of course and hundreds of applicants entered the competition.  1958 was the first year for the competition and since it was being held in a Communist country no one in the western world would have ever guessed the results.

If you know Russian music history, you will be familiar with a composer by the name of Pyotr I Tchaikovsky.  His pictures still hang in thousands of buildings throughout Russia and they adorn the walls of every musical palace within the same country.  The competition was even named for him and so that name still continues to this day.  The competition has grown considerably over the decades and still stands as one of the top musical events in the world.

In 1958, a young, tall, and skinny Texan applied to the event and not really expecting to be chosen since he has no international experience and really no competitive background to withstand this type of competition.  Yet, by many people’s surprise he was chosen to represent the USA in the piano competition.  Of course no one had any idea of the success that his performance would have, not only in the eyes of the Russian people but also in the hearts of the world.

The classical music scene in the United States up until then was very slim and usually limited to the film industry.  This type of music was readily rejected by the mainstream media and magazines in favor for the Jazz, Blues and Rock music scenes.  Yes, classical music was around and many people listened to it but it was not a part of their world so it was considered a secondary class of music for the majority; it is sad to say that classical music is still considered in this class today, but some of us continue to hope for changes.

Van Cliburn showed up in Moscow with his heart in his throat I would imagine since he was going into a foreign land that was once an ally but now is considered to be your arch enemy.  The people of Russia had no real idea of how the American people lived, nor did they understand just how much difference there was between the two societies.  They did however understand that the people from other countries that came to perform for them understood music and that it was a common bond that each one of them shared.  Somewhere deep within their minds and hearts all of them must have thought about this connection as a stepping stone for peace at some point during the competition.

Cliburn pulled off the upset of the century by winning the piano competition in 1958.  No one ever thought that this kid from Texas could play in this type of competition and succeed.  Succeed he did and he even chose to play the heart of the Russian musical world by superbly playing Tchaikovsky’s 1st Piano Concerto.  The Russian people instantly fell in love with the Texan and welcomed his performance as if one of their own national musicians had played the work.  The cameras were filled with onlookers who were stretching out their arms to shake the hands of the American that had so brilliantly interpreted their musical idols work.  It was a feat that took the world by surprise and even though many will say that it played no part in the Cold War, I know that it did.

It is not always the big shot politicians or diplomats that get things started.  Most of the time it is those types of people who get their names in the headlines when all of the deals are completed, but it is usually some “small fry” behind the scenes that actually gets the process started or fuels the fire to get the job done.  Today Van Cliburn passed away after a battle with cancer.    I did not hear the news on the local or national news media but caught it on one of the symphony pages that I follow.  Yet it was news that touched my musical heart in a special way knowing all of what he had accomplished for the musical world and inadvertently political stage.  I never had met this man, and I know that he was not perfect by any means, yet I admired the man that had done so much for the worldly good.

He was never a huge politician and he surely was not recognizable to the common person on the street.  He was just a tall Texan who went to play in a competition and came out as a world hero.  It does not matter who you are or what you believe, but God has given each one of us a special talent and it is our duty to make sure that our talents are manifested to the world on a daily basis.  You might never make it to the “big leagues” but that is ok and you may never have a Hollywood Star in the concrete, but when you utilize your talents you will know that you have been successful in achieving one of your purposes in life.  Always strive in your talents and be happy when you see the results, for that is something that no man, woman, government, idea or philosophy can ever take away from you.  So sleep well Van Cliburn and may God bless you and everyone in your family.






DLB

What God Can Provide with $120

What God Can Provide with $120

2/23/13

We all joke and say to others that God can do what He wants with whatever He desires.  But that statement does not take hold in our lives until we actually allow God to use those experiences for His glory, no matter what the circumstances we have endured over a specific season.  Then God decides to show us what can happen when we allow Him to work through our lives and to be honest it can be quite embarrassing to us when His revelations are revealed to our blinded eyes.

Come back with to the summer of 2011 to a small town called Delta, Colorado and more specifically to an even smaller community of Delta County Memorial Hospital laboratory department.  A conversation breaks out between these two ordinary guys in which they are basically talking about nothing important, you know just guy talk.  You guessed it one of these guys is I and the other guy is one person who I have known for about a decade.  We have had many small chats but nothing real significant until this time.

The door was opened through our conversation and I asked if he would like to go out for dinner and talk about things that had recently occurred in his life.  I could tell that he was hurting in some way and that I really wanted him to know that I was there for him to bounce things off of if need be.  I then told a small joke to him and he began to laugh hysterically for a few moments.  It was one of those laughs that if one really paid attention to it would know that it was an act that had not occurred in some time.  A small tear swelled up in his eyes and he said to me that he had not laughed in a long time and that it felt good to release some built up emotions.  I then changed my tone towards the dinner concept and I told him that we were going out to dinner instead of asking him if he wanted to go out to dinner.  A few minutes of ironing out each other’s schedules and the date was finalized. 

We decided to go eat at a restaurant in Grand Junction which is about a forty minute drive north.  Nothing fancy just two guys eating and talking about life, which required a relaxed atmosphere since the topic could take a rocky course; the topic would be God and personal relationships two of the most difficult topics to tackle when it comes to human beliefs.  My friend began to fill me in on what had been going on in his life for the past few months while we were driving to Junction.  From the highlights of his explanation his life had been wrecked with a couple of personal circumstances concerning personal relationships.  Devastation was the only way to explain his position and he really needed someone to trust enough to talk to and to try and give him some answers that would make sense enough to him so that he could muddle his way though this time of his life.

Since we had made the time for dinner early, there was no waiting at the restaurant and we were seated within a few seconds after arriving.  After a drink order and arrival of “endless” chips our conversation returned to what was happening in his life.  At first I did not say much I just sat there and listened to him and what he had to say.  I was in no hurry and he had my full attention while he was releasing his feelings towards my direction.  Of course God was at work with this entire scenario even though my friend had no idea what God had in mind for him at the moment and to be honest neither did I but I knew what God had placed into my spirit and that it was at that time that the seed was to be planted within my friend’s heart.  I had a quick complaint to God asking if this would be the correct time and God responded by not saying a word in return; He made His point very clear to me at that moment.

Two hours later and a couple of ideas about relationships with humans and a couple of Kingdom principles dropped into his spirit, we began to leave the table and headed back to the huge metropolis of Delta.  Our conversation about God continued in which he began to ask many questions about God and how I felt about what God gives to us to handle.  I could tell he was hesitant to accept my answers but at the same time he was curious about what I had to say.  I provided the answers that I guessed God wanted him to hear but still felt like I had mucked things up as he shut the door to my truck and walked to his door.

Not much communication occurred between us about his personal relationship situations but at the same time I did not forget about the conversation we had and continued to pray for him on a regular basis.  I had no idea that what we had discussed had a profound effect upon his life and he began to go to church once again, in which he had admitted that it had been decades since his feet took steps in a church building. 

What does this have to do with $120?  Well it is actually involves two stories that occurred on the same day that also involves the same two guys talking about the same subject over a year later.  So I will start out with my part of the story which will be in more depth and detail since I am free to write about what occurred during my day.  Both guys in this article continue to enjoy their respective positions within the hospital and both have no intentions of changing directions any time soon.

A couple of days ago this same friend and I were talking in the hallway of the hospital and he brought up that he would like to talk to me about a few things sometime.  I sensed that he wanted to tell me some things that were important to him so once again I suggested dinner and it was not too much later that the date and time was set, for this Friday evening.

It has been a really long week for me in fact the past month has been very busy within my section of the hospital and it has taken a toll on my physical conditioning.  It all comes with the territory but for whatever reason it has been a bit more strenuous during this time period.  By the end of this week I was wiped out and was looking forward to a nice quiet weekend.  It is payday weekend so that meant that it was also the Friday that I would receive my massage.  My wife brought me lunch today as she usually does on Friday and it was good to see her as always.  When she comes up with my lunch I always know that it is a few more hours until I would be in pain trying to get my body relaxed so I could function for a few more weeks.

So as soon as I got home from work I changed clothes and ate a few more bites and took some ibuprofen and lied down for a few minutes to allow the meds to relax a bit.  Bonnie came home and came up to the bedroom where I was lying down.  I was not asleep so she began to talk to me telling me that she left me money in my wallet and that she was headed to the store to get a few things before she began her working weekend.  In no time at all she was headed out the door to the store and I then began to get ready for my massage, which did not take long since it was not a dress up occasion.

The hour long procedure always does my body good.  It is not a light massage but a very deep one and is considered to be on the medical side of things.  It keeps me limber and has helped with my headaches to the tune of not having any, which is wonderful.  God has allowed me to have these done on a regular basis and it has helped me in many ways.  I have no idea of how long I will be able to continue these sessions but as long as God provides, I will continue them.  So, the going rate for my massage is $60 dollars and in my opinion it is worth it and I thank God for this provision in my life.  Some might believe that it is a privilege or a luxury and they might be correct, but I am testament to the fact that they do work.

After my massage was over I drove up the hill and parked my truck in its normal spot.  I went into the house and found Bonnie sitting at the table talking to her boss and receiving instructions for the weekend.  I went upstairs and got into the shower to try and wash off some of the oil that was soaking into my skin.  I could not go out to eat with my skin dripping with oil and me smelling like a girl. J  So I took my after massage shower without incident and then put on my warm-ups for the casual dinner date with my friend.

The time approached for me to leave the house and pick up my friend.  I kissed Bonnie goodbye and quietly told her bye.  I opened the door and walked out and then closed the door behind me.  I got into the car, started the engine and then backed out of the driveway and headed to his house.  He was waiting on me as I pulled up into his drive and he immediately came out and got into the car.  We greeted each other and then I slowly turned around and drove out towards the restaurant. 

For the past few days the weather in the area had been pretty nasty in which neither of us wanted to drive very far so we had decided to stay in Delta and eat at one of the local steakhouses.  It was a family restaurant and did not require a tie or tuxedo to be a patron of its food.  We did not have to wait for a table so we seated ourselves to a large booth and our waitress soon joined us.  It was funny in that our waitress I had known since she was a little kid and I made sure I pointed tat fact out, which only proved that I was old.  She took our drink order and handed us the menus at the same time.

Our conversation soon began after our waitress left and it was one that lasted for approximately three hours and there was not a dull moment during that time.  I sat there at the table and was amazed at how much my friend had grown spiritually over the year.  It was a wonderful to see and to hear the change that he had allowed God to complete in his life.  After a while of listening to him talking about his “new” life I asked him what exactly was the concept that began this change inside him?

Without hesitation my friend immediately told me that it all started a year ago when we talking about the relevancy of the Old Testament at the restaurant.  It was then, after he had made that statement to me that he began to realize that God was going to show him some things.  He told me that he had no idea of how God was going to accomplish that feat but that he had a gut feeling that God was up to something.  The defining moment came when he started going to church again.

One Sunday morning the minister said that God is not a God that sits somewhere and looks upon the people with control and command and then holds everything against us when we do not do things correctly.  The minister also continued to say that God desires to have a relationship with each person on this earth, and that the type of relationship that He desires would be a personal one and not one that would be superficial either.  My friend had been taught the complete opposite all of his life concerning God and how God looks on our lives.  This was the groundbreaking shock to my friend’s life that began his new walk with God.  And after a while trying to figure out all of the new concepts that were being presented to him, he finally understand that what the minister was saying was exactly what God wanted for his life.

As I sat and listened to my friend speak about the changes within his life my heart was filled with joy and satisfaction.  At that point in time I had no inclination of what God was going to show me a few minutes later.  I continued to listen my friend explain how alive the Bible had become in his life and how the passages in the Bible meant so much more to him, more on a personal level and like it was written specifically and only for him.  He said that every night as he is getting into bed that he prays and thanks God for another day of wisdom and life. 

After three hours of blessed talking between two ordinary guys it was time to leave the restaurant.  The total cost of the dinner was $60 but the time spent with my friend could not be priced.  There is no way to accurately describe just how the even transpired but all I can say that it was wonderful to feel the presence of God that was around our table during our conversation.  Our conversation continued as we left the restaurant and headed for the car.  We got into the car and I began to drive towards his house.  It took a few minutes to arrive.  He opened the door and thanked me for the dinner company and the great talk. 

As I left his drive and turned onto the road, I noticed a person standing on their porch all wrapped up and reading a book of some kind.  It kind of caught me by surprise since I was not expecting anyone to be outside because it was about 20 degrees.  But as I passed this person god showed me just what $120 provided for me today.  He did not start with the dinner portion but with the massage portion.  It was not a sign of authority, control, or threat to take things away but it was a soft message that said that all things come from Him and even though my beliefs about saying things that I believed would not mean much to one person actually meant an entire change in someone’s life.

God reinforced His timing and how people are not ready to accept God and His ways all of the time.  We might believe we know people and some of the people we do know well, but our knowledge of a person is nothing in comparison to how God knows us.  Those simple words that I said to my friend over a year ago God used to begin a renewed work in my friend’s life.  And even though I spent some money to have an opportunity to talk with him again, the result of that initial investment over a year ago is priceless to my friend’s life.  The restoration process that God is continuing in his life is hard sometimes according to my friend but he also understands that it is a process that actually brings him closer to God on every level of his life and that he is thankful that he now knows that God does love him and wants to be in his life.

Why $120?  I cannot honestly say that the $60 I spent earlier will have any meaning to a person’s life, but I do know that there were many people in that salon when I was there and even though I might not have a clue who they were, my appearance could somehow be used by God in some specific way down the road.  All I want is to be a servant of God in my own specific way that He has called me and if it includes having a massage, buying groceries for someone I do not know or taking a person in which society has discarded to dinner, I plan on doing it. 

DLB

Upcoming Vacancy

Upcoming Vacancy

2/18/13

An event shocked the world this week with many people and news agencies not giving it to much attention, but the results of this decision will have astronomical consequences in the church world and it will be interesting to watch unfold.  This election is different from any other papal election in which a standing pope has not passed away but is resigning.  Is this just a Catholic issue and the remaining non Catholics ignore the proceedings?  I beg you not to ignore them but to embrace them in prayer in order for God to be present at all times during this election and that His will be done.

Last week the entire world received news that the current sitting pope was resigning after the end of February.  None of that are alive have heard of this event occurring and it is not even addressed since it just does not happen.  In fact it has been almost 600 years since Pope Gregory XII resigned his papacy in order to quell a major problem within the church.  And just as it was almost 600 years ago there is another huge issue that has been presented during this time and it is important that all of understand the implications of the upcoming election.

First of all for those of you that do not know me, I am not a Catholic.  I never have been and I probably will never be but that does not keep me from understanding the implications of what this papal election could have on the world.  And to be honest each of you, whether Catholic or not, are in the same position and should recognize the position that the Catholic Church is currently in because in the long run it will affect all of us in our walks of faith.  Am I saying that the world is ending soon?  No.  What am I saying then?  Well, this election could turn the church in such a manner that the new leadership could provide a very different spiritual direction that the flood doors of spiritual neglect could follow on all believers.

Secondly, I believe that the Pope has done an excellent job in completing his duties since his election in 2005.  Has he had the answers to every problem that was placed in front of him? No not by any means.  And as he leaves his post we also recognize that there are still many unanswered and incomplete issues that are hindering the Catholic Church.  Some feel like he is leaving his post and running away from the issues that still reside within the hierarchy of the church and others see his leaving as a process that sets a standard in which they realize he is old and tired and he recognizes that he cannot perform the tasks that are at his hand.  Whatever and however you feel about this man, he has continued the pervious pope’s vision in spreading the gospel around the world and orchestrating the Catholic Church back to Biblical instruction and ignoring the temptations to follow worldly advice.

The year was 1415 and the Catholic Church has been placed in a precarious position.  There are actually three elected popes that are all claiming to be the leader of one organization.  Now, it was a little over 400 years earlier that the Church had undergone a huge split that tore the church into two halves, this tear is still in place today.  The Church was bickering enough that it actually created this division in response to many troubling ideas that each section of the western Europe firmly believed that they had the right answers to lead the entire Church.  Stop for a minute and think about all of the different beliefs of today and make the comparison.

It is known that during this period of time many people lost their lives due to conflicting beliefs and who they actually believed was the legitimate leader of the church.  Many councils, meetings, agreements, broken promises, and hundreds of threats only produced a larger division within the church and its leaders.  It was clear that the church could not function properly in this manner and that something had to be done fast or it could mean that the church could suffer more permanent measures of separation and division.

Over time the Great Western Schism was settled and all of the popes and antipopes resigned their positions and an election was completed with one newly elected pope to oversee the Church.  Were all of the issues and concerns fixed?  No way, but everyone involved understood the importance of the direction of the church and how it needed to be unified in order to function properly.  Now, having said that it really did not take too much longer until the status of the church went to hell in a hand basket but at that moment in time the church was once again united in a specific direction.  Pope Gregory XII who was considered to be the “real” pope of the church in 1415 agreed to resign his position in order to end the Schism that had plagued the church for such a long time.

Something to keep in mind for the time period of 1415 and that is there were not too many other denominations that were presence around the world.  The church had strict rules against other personal and organizational beliefs and treated these people and groups very harshly, not just at that time but in previous times and future times as well.  So the options that people had to worship back in 1415 were very limited and even the slightest disagreement with the church provided a world of hurt for those who waivered even the slightest.  This is an issue that I am not doing to deal with now, but keep it in mind as you continue to read; however, in some fashion the overall church has kept this attitude towards people which is another reason the world now holds the upper hand when it comes to forgiveness and acceptance.

It was not too much longer in time that more and more denominations began to spring up throughout Europe.  People began to take notice of the problems within the church and decided to begin an alternative way of believing and living, and since these same people wished to continue their incorporation within the church they found other ways to separate themselves from the Catholic Church and still consider themselves to be Christians.  This process seemed to be advantageous to those that lived during that time but in reality it further divided the church and allowed for deeper divisions between people, groups and eventually cultures and States.  We continue to see this division today amongst the denominations with their boundaries strikingly dug into doctrinal commitment which represents not what Jesus preached but for personal sanctity within their associated communities.

Pope Benedict XVI performed this same type of maneuver this last week and really caught everyone by surprise.  It is known that he is considered to be an old man now and that he does not get around as fast as he once did.  It is also known that some areas of his life he does not function as well in either, both of which are all part of the normal aging process.  It is also well known that when he was elected to the papacy in 2005 he had a tall order in filling the shoes of his predecessor with all of these occupational duties of the office he held would take its toll on even the youngest and healthiest person elected for the job.  So, when the pope decided to inform the world that he would leave his position at the end of the month, of course there were many rumors that floated around with some people cursing him and others loving him.  This was all to be expected from a diverse world community.

Throughout the tenure of the pope he continued to install conservative ideas through the church along with elevating conservative Cardinals in positions that he knew would suit the church for the better.  He faced criticism for these moves and some of the widest and loudest criticism came from within the church hierarchy. The pope knew and understood that he would not be pope forever and that not everyone within the confines of the church has the same ideology and philosophy as himself and the College of Cardinals, in fact he knew that not all of the Cardinals share his views either.  He also knew that the integrity of the Catholic Church is at stake due to his understanding of the position of the world and the direction that the world is begging everyone institution to follow.

The pope also knows that there is a spiritual power play that is up for grabs as soon as his reign is over.  This spiritual power play will come from within the church and not from around the church, which makes the situation more delicate.  As I stated in the paragraph above the world is constantly knocking the conservative ideology and is begging the Church to institutionalize some of its thoughts and beliefs that would effectively split the church spiritually.  Now while the world would praise this action and claim to have brought the Catholic Church up to the modern times, the stage would be set for more denominations to follow.  I take for an example the Anglican Church and their acceptance of some non Biblical ideologies which should not be any surprise to us since the basis of that denomination was formed when a certain king could not divorce his wife and marry another younger woman.

Even though a schism will not take place the implications of a huge spiritual schism occurring is quite alarming.  Why am I spending time on a subject that really does not pertain to us Protestants?  I am glad you asked that. J  Our enemy absolutely hates the church and if he can halt the church’s progress in any way, then he has successfully pushed his kingdom forward.  The spiritual implications of the possible outcome of this election will not stop within the Catholic Church.  It will cross all denominational lines and infiltrate every corner of the church.  This is possible because the Church, you, have become lazy and asleep while the enemy has built up his fortifications within the powers to be.  I am not suggesting that the Chuch should rule over the land as it did in the middle ages, but I am suggesting that the true Church, you, get off of your couch and back to your knees and begin the battle against the spiritual forces that have taken over the Church.

This election has major implications that are eternal and if people do not wake up and realize exactly what is transpiring beneath their noses, the Church will be permanently crippled in her power to proclaim the true gospel of Jesus Christ.  It is our duty, our spiritual duty to pray fervently against the possible change in spiritual direction that would forever affect the growth of the church.  Yes this change will not only affect the Catholic Church but it will affect upon all believers around the world. Would it be the end of the Church, no way but it would be another step towards limiting the Church to function as Jesus commissioned it.

Please pray for the Church and the direction of its future!  Did I mention at all that it is time for us to pray for the Church?  If I did not have the opportunity to say it before, please pray for the Church.

DLB

Do Not Sell Your Birthright

Do Not Sell Your Birthright

2/14/13

Most of the people in the modern age refer to a birthright as an inheritance or some type of royalty when a family member dies, with this reward going to certain people within the family as a token of appreciation from that person who has recognized their loyalty to the deceased.  The previous statement is a portion of the meaning but the most important portion we tend to leave out which is the part that actually defines our existence in the world.  This is the portion that we really need to be aware of and looking towards as our goal upon this earth.  It is the latter portion of the birthright in humanity that actually defines our identity on this planet and at the same time also defines our spiritual lineage on an eternal foundation.

One of the more popular examples that one can use in a story of this manner would be the story of a spy.  History has provided us with thousands of spy stories that I could refer to but the one that I am going to use deals with a story that not only is “successful” but it seems like the person gets away with the caper but in the long run the damage eventually arises to the world.  The spy that I am referring to is the Walker Spy Ring which was an ongoing operation from the 1960s through the 1980s.

The family involved was a family who was considered to be one of the finest representatives of a military family that a nation could rear.  Many of the current family members were in the military and some of the past family members also served their country.  But it was this case that taught our nation that even family members are not above testifying against each other to have a lighter sentence during a criminal case.  For decades the family allowed our naval top-secret coded messages to be deciphered by the Soviet Union right from the communications offices of our nuclear submarine bases.

The reasoning for this treasonous act was that the family had become in debt due to a failed business and was looking for a way out of debt and to get back on their feet again.  At first, they had no idea that they were being watched and listened to by Soviet agents, but in truth, they were already being scouted for our enemy’s purposes and it was not too long down the road that they were approached with some friendly advice from these people.  The advice eventually turned into questions and those questions eventually turned into propositions.  The propositions were based upon the information that the family had felt comfortable in letting out to their new friends which became the foundation for the bargaining chip that would eventually lead to treason.  The information that our enemy gained through these transactions might never be fully known or comprehended until it I used against us. 

I remember this event taking hold in my world even years after it had ended.  One of the military bases that I was stationed at a base was in Utah which happened to be one of the places that manufactured parts for some of the guidance systems of certain missiles for our fighter planes and the base had a large civilian population which worked on these missile systems.  The civilian shifts were like clockwork and you timed your routes upon the time of the day trying your best to stay out of the “Mormon 500” as it was known.  If one got caught up in that traffic nightmare it would take you an extra thirty minutes to get off base.  Many times I used the museum entrance/exit and still made it home before the traffic had subsided and that base is a huge land base.

Anyway, every once in a while the civilian shifts would get changed and many of the six thousand civilians would end up working extended hours.  We all knew that this event would be occurring but really never knew exactly when and for how long that the changes would last.  As time passed I found out that the reason these time changes would occur was actually due to the result of the Walker Spy Ring incident.  The guidance systems on the missiles had to be rotated in order to keep our enemies from finding our which frequency that the missiles would launch and fly towards their targets so when these changes were to occur, many had to stay extra to make up the new codes.  So even years after the case was closed, the results of that family’s actions still caused the military to change its tactics to keep up with the possible information that our enemy might have on record.  Now, if I know this fact, and I was a lowly airman in the USAF, then you know that there was so much more involved that I had no idea about.

A family is the lifeline of a person no matter what type of family that said person comes from.  Your family does not have to be a perfect family, your family can be a dysfunctional family to the highest degree but it is this lineage that you come from and it is this lineage that will define you throughout your present history and the future that you will walk through.  It is this portion of your birthright that you must hold on to and learn about no matter what the cost.  This portion is the pieces that you need in order to teach your children the things that define them and that they will carry within them for their entire lives.  It is also important for you to teach them how sacred this lineage is and how important it is not to sell your lineage out to make things seem a little easier for the moment. 

Another prime example is a story that occurs in the Bible and many of us know it by heart.  It is the story of Jacob and Esau and how Jacob tricked his elder brother Esau into giving up his birthright for some food.  Now as we look at this story we wonder why Esau just claim stupidity and punch Jacob in the nose like brothers do and then ignore what had been said during the meal.  Many of us forget that the plot was a family issue and that other parts of the family had schemed up the plan to serve their own purpose, a type of favoritism if you want to look at it in that manner.  The end result was to trick the head of the family so that an advantage could be had over others if a certain situation ever arose.  When you dive into the intricacies of this story you will find that it was a cleverly devised scheme that provided a quick result but also resulted in a lifelong fight between family members.

The spiritual implications here are enormous since these examples are exactly how our enemy gets us to accept things into our lives as the truth but are blatant lies to our birthright.  When we allow these “truths” to be accepted into our physical lives they automatically filter into our spiritual lives as well.  It is a common pathway that is easily accessible to our enemy if we have allowed this transfer of information to cross into our own spiritual pathway.  By allowing certain information to take root into our lives it gives our enemy the access he needs to further this corrupt information to flourish within our lives.  Eventually, we believe that the information is true and that it is actually a good thing that we have learned about this information.

Your birthright is your Constitution and you must defend it with your life.  It is not negotiable and it is not for sale no matter what price another person is willing to pay for it.  God sent His own Son to reassure us of our price and of our importance to not only this world but more importantly to Him.  Your birthright is your true definition and as long as your true definition is intact you are protected from outside invaders that wish to take it from you.  In order for this protection, we must recognize that God is the only way for this protection to be effective in our lives and without God in our lives we become vulnerable to spies that want to steal our birthrights from us.  Do not give up any portion of your birthright no matter how strong the temptation has been to overcome. 

There is a reason why the enemy wants your birthright.  Think about it.  It goes along the exact same lines as the spy who wants to sell a country’s secrets to another country or government.  The spy does not care about you or what you have to sell all they are interested in is having some credible information to give to the people that are paying them.  What gain do they have in completing this act, not much unless you consider the selfish nature of the act itself which in reality gains them nothing since the information is eventually passed along to other hands?  Same is the case in our birthright the information you allow our enemy to gain the better an opportunity for you to be attacked and wounded on a multitude of levels.  It is not a pretty sight when this type of activity occurs and we are so blind to the fact that it occurs every second of every day in our world.

Once your physical birthright has been compromised it is an uphill battle for it to be retaken.  All of us have allowed things to occur in our life due to the decisions and choices that we have made.  None of us are exempt in this part of our lives.  Most of us do not realize or understand the implications that these choices have in our lives until the damage has been done.  Your lineage needs to stay intact no matter what compromise is placed in front of you.  It does not matter what your lineage is and as long as your birthright is intact you have an opportunity to “change” your lineage if it needs to be “changed”.  However, once the lineage is compromised the process becomes very difficult to re-establish, especially when you do not understand your entire lineage, to begin with.

The birthright is the only true connection that one has to their place in a family.  When one examines their birthright it might not seem to be the best in stature but rest assured that even in these cases your birthright still needs to be defended in which we do not need to be quick to cut those ties for even this act is considered to be a selling point to our enemy.  There are still other people within your family that may not fully represent the side that you are cutting off or trying to sell off.  See, once a birthright is sold or given away it is extremely difficult to get back and when or if it is returned it is usually damaged or torn into shreds and in the end is more difficult to repair than to have let go in the first place.

Each one of us has a birthright and it our constitutional need to defend it as long as we live.  It has been proven time and again that once our birthright is compromised or lost it is very difficult for us to obtain it again.  Our enemy loves to show us ways to make our birthright seem better or larger in some way, but our birthright was given to us intact, specific for our life and it is not like any other one ever created.  So when the opportunity arises for us to change our birthright, stop and think about it before you make a decision that you will regret for a long time.

There is only one person that has the ability to defend your birthright and that is you.  Our enemy knows this and will try every angle possible to gain access to your birthright.  This is when our spiritual defender wishes to take over our defense.  See, He is a person with a special advantage that we kind of forget sometimes.  He is the only one that can stand with us on a spiritual level, and physical too, that has the authority to give us the strength and the knowledge of true defense against our enemy.

Why is He the only one that is qualified?  I am glad you asked J  See, there has been some recent talk about a certain leader having more than one birth certificate.  My point is not to linger on this earthly topic but since it has been tossed around I am going to make a point of it; however, it has a twist because the one person who can legitimately say that He has two birth certificates name is Jesus.  This fact gives Him the authority to provide the required defense that will permanently secure our birthright intact within our lives.  And if we have given it away for any reason He has the authority to restore it back to us, where it belongs.  This person has two birthrights, both of which are legitimate and have no hidden details.

One of His birthrights is a spiritual one in which His father is Holy and cannot change, perfect in every way possible and without sin.  The other birthright is human and serves as a physical characteristic that mankind can relate with on a personal basis.  No other religion, denomination or philosophy claims this type of lineage, and rightly so since if they did they would be lying to those who they are trying to claim it as the truth.  So, even in this birthright, it is individual and specific for this one person, just as yours is.  This is why having a personal relationship with Him is the only way to understand your importance and your worth in life.  And it is through these two birthrights that give Him the authority to become the bridge that comes from the Father to us.

DLB

Heart Condition Part XXV

Heart Condition Part XXV

This friendly environment and atmosphere that everyone was trying to portray still had an underlying nervousness about it since a life was at stake.  The scene of normalcy while the ambulance crew began their report and transfer process of a patient procedure was a work of art and was completed without any hitches.  With my experience in the medical field I had witnessed this scene probably a thousand times and each one of the patients that I saw leave the facility deemed more serious than me, so why was I being treated in like manner?  I had no idea of just how close I came to have drawing my last breath and I would not find that out until later that evening and that is why medical professionals should treat all patients with the utmost of care and dignity at all times.

After their report from the nurses the ambulance crew asked if I was ready to head north and I looked at them and smiled and said “I guess so, if you insist.”  I started to get out of my bed and two pairs of hands immediately grabbed a hold of me to assist my bed transfer.  I looked in both directions and then curtly said “really?”  They did not remove their hands and continued their assistance with me from the bed to the gurney.  So, in my defiant attitude as I approached the gurney, I jumped onto it and then turned and placed my head onto the pillow that was waiting for my head.  I did not receive any comments as I raised my feet up to their requested position and almost immediately I heard a snap of a buckle across my legs.  I was now trapped on the gurney and not going anywhere until my destination.

Another buckle soon wrapped around my waist which was the final seal of transport system.  Next came all of the heart monitor equipment and it was placed on the foot of my ride.  The gurney was then raised up by the two ambulance crew members and then my head was raised up and I was placed into a sitting position for the ride out of the hospital.  My doctor came into the room for a final listen to my heart and chest which was followed by a few questions about how I was feeling.  As I was answering him the same listening procedure was accomplished by one of the ambulance crew members, which was not unusual and considered normal protocol immediately before departure.  The charge nurse came into the room with my chart and handed it to the other ambulance person and he placed it on my lap.  The charge nurse then leaned over and hugged me and told me to behave myself and to get back to work soon.

The paramedic on staff then received the final ok for my departure from the charge nurse and the wheels were unlocked and the ambulance crew members assumed their positions at each end of the gurney.  I was asked if I was ready and I replied “yes” and with that the wheels began to move and I was on my way to another “fun and exciting” hospital experience.  As the gurney reached the doorway the wheels hit the edge of the carpet and a slight bump occurred as the gurney reached the hallway carpet; the back wheels soon gave the same bump and I was out of my room and headed down the hall.  As I passed the nursing station I was received with many goodbyes and good lucks from all of the staff members which every single one of them were my friends as well, which made things a bit hard for me as I was wheeled down the hall.

Since it was mid morning on Tuesday, the halls were bustling with hospital personnel and almost every one of them stopped the gurney and gave me hugs, prayers and well wishes which touched me very deeply.  We eventually weaved our way through the people and I turned into the hallway that led to the outside where the ambulance leaves with transfers.  This was when my gurney was positioned in such a manner that my head was placed in front, in other words I was rolling backwards.  As we wheeled down the hall I passed the large American flag that one of the doctors received when his Navy unit left Okinawa, Japan during the Iraq War, it was always a sight that brought chills to me and a remembrance of the first Gulf War back in 1990 in which the USAF base that I was stationed at participated in. 

The time clock was the next feature that caught my eye and for a second the thought of never having the opportunity to slide my badge through its grip crossed my mind.  This thought was enhanced as we passed the kitchen’s back door and my eyes turned on the next door which was the morgue.  Everyone had to pass the morgue if they used this door since it was the last thing that one passed when they left and it was the first thing that they passed when they came to work, very symbolic in my opinion; one cannot escape death no matter the path that you take.  And since I was travelling backwards my feet were the last to leave the building.  All the time I was hoping that this area of the hospital would not be the last thing I ever saw of the place that I called my place of work.

The doors opened and the wheels of the gurney once again crossed the threshold of the door with a few bumps and then rolled onto the concrete.  Nothing exciting occurred from the time the hospital doors closed until we reached the ambulance which was approximately ten yards from the door.  We passed a few patients smoking at the smoker’s bench burning their lungs and we then stopped about four feet from the ambulance.  The EMT which was leading let loose of the gurney and walked to the doors of the ambulance and opened them.  He moved out of the way and the paramedic at my feet then pushed the gurney up to the ambulance and as it reached the entrance of the ambulance a set of clamps locked onto the gurney and by then the second ambulance crew member had reached the back of the gurney and together the two EMTs pushed the gurney into the ambulance via a fixed track that was on the floor of the ambulance.

The gurney continued its course until the end of the track was reached and when this occurred a lock was then fastened to the front of the gurney.  I was not going anywhere unless I physically unbuckled myself from the gurney and since my bodily functions were hooked up to bells and whistles that possibility was not going to happen anytime soon either.  The paramedic then took his place beside me and began to place all of the necessary solutions and monitors in their appropriate places.  Mark then asked me if I was ok and ready to go in which I replied “yes.”  The back doors to the ambulance then closed and slapped as a symbolic gesture of closure.

It took a few seconds for him to walk around to the driver’s side but he then opened the driver’s side door and jumped into the seat.  I heard the sound of the seatbelt snapping into place and then he turned back and asked if we were ready to depart.  Mark said “yes” and then the driver asked me if I was ready as well but did not wait for my answer but told me to relax and that everything would be ok.  I was at the mercy of these two guys and even though I had never been inside their ambulance before I felt completely safe and comfortable with their care for me.  I had worked with these guys for a couple of years now and knew their voices and tones and with this information all of us that were in the ER listening to their report could tell exactly what the condition of their patient was currently experiencing.  They were a great team and they worked extremely well together.

I then heard the driver pick up the radio mike and called dispatch.  Dispatch promptly answered and he then proceeded to inform them that we were pulling out and headed to Grand Junction.  This was a standard procedure just to inform every medical and emergency operation that this ambulance crew was out of service until further notice.  I heard the mike click back into its holding position and then I felt the jerk of the transmission switching from park to drive.  I was now on my way to the next step of my heart adventure.

I could not help but think about how I felt about riding in the back of any moving vehicle.  I was actually concerned about the fact that for many years when I did ride in the back I got sick and I really did not want this to happen in front of my friends, my pride coming out again I guess but still it was a thought in my mind to which I never revealed to them nor did I reveal it to them the messy way either J

While we were leaving the parking lot Mark began to hook me up to all of the monitors, bells and whistles.  The ED called over the intercom to make sure all was ok and a prompt response from Mark stated that everyone was in good condition.  Mark then hung my IV fluids on the wall and once again I felt like I was tied into a box with no escape, but that was ok since I continued to trust those that were actually in control of my current situation.

As stated above I had worked with these people for a while now and it was very common for me to be standing in the ED waiting for them to unload a patient and wheel that patient into the ED for treatment.  I had become used to this procedure and all of us functioned together as a well oiled machine, so to speak.  Up until this time I had not even given it a thought about me being the patient and playing a different role in their transport process.  I had been inside of an ambulance to look around or to help place a patient into the back of the ambulance but never a patient.  This experience of mine was one that put me into the patient’s position and not as a worker.  It was a surreal moment for me when I realized this concept and it was one of the events that made a difference in my life and placed me into a closer engagement with the patient’s that I would serve in the future, or hope to serve I thought.

DLB

Non Combatant

Non Combatant

2/7/13

All of us wish that there would be no earthly setting that includes warfare.  The desire of peace on earth is a wonderful and euphoric ideology that we continually dream about.  But as long as humans are present on this earth this will not be the case.  There are forces out there that their one job is to promote the destruction of mankind and one way that these forces complete their duty is to allow humans to believe that reduction of our defenses and saying “no” to war is the way to defeat our enemies.  This too is a noble argument but in the long run and as we see throughout history this ideology is disastrous to humans.  We need a strong defense system that has one true leader that brings wisdom and peace at the same time, yet we incessantly ignore His ways.

All of the inhabitants of the world desire peace within their lives and in their places of origin.  Peace has been achieved and lost all throughout our history and whether or not these details are well chronicled or not the same point is to be made that peace was the obtainable objective when all was said and done.  Very few times in recorded history has peace been obtained without some type of conflict being involved first with fewer times being recorded that peace has actually been kept after all fighting had ceased.  Yet, we continue to strive towards this peace in a manner of non-fighting that has both logical goals but unobtainable realities all because we have this thing called free will and choice.

Most of us have seen some type of war movie sometime in our lives.  There are thousands of them out there and I enjoy watching these movies because I always learn something about history or people’s lives after the credits roll on the screen.  However, I have to keep in mind that all of what the movie portrays is not exactly what occurs and that some tweaking has taken place in order to produce the movie according to the Hollywood standards.  But there is a portrayal that I need to mention that god has placed into my heart and it is another concept that we tend to forget about when it comes to our self defenses.

I was in USAF back in the 1980s when the Cold War was still “hot” in terms of its activity within the countries of the war.  One of the more popular things to do at that time was to serve in our country’s military, which was a switch from what our boys faced just a decade earlier.  But I remember when I was going through the recruiting process that I spent hours watching recruiting films and reading military manuals and processing all of the information that they were bombarding me with.  I initially was going into the army, took the ASVAB test for them and was accepted into their branch.  I then began the process of trying to find a position in the Army that I liked and since I had medical experience in my past I was leaning towards that area of training.

My recruiter had no problems with this idea of mine and began to sway me towards that line of thinking.  He had just as much information about the medical field as any other position in the Army and was glad to share it with me.  I remember one of the conversations that we had was concerning what the medical corps actually did in the Army and how much different it was than being an actual foot soldier.  My recruiter had been in the medical field prior to his assignment as a recruiter and he was glad that he chose that side of the Army because he really did not like to carry guns that much especially since it took him a long time to get used to the idea of carrying around a gun at all times.

He began to sell me the idea that the medical corps did not carry guns and that they were considered to be non-combatants out in the field of battle and that if I chose to accept the responsibility of being in the medical corps that I would have inherited the “special” ability of not being shot at if I ever found myself in the heat of the battle.  Now, it is always exciting for most of us guys to be part of the battle and to see what actually transpires when this type of fighting occurs but not many of us desire to be the target of another human as he or she points their weapon in our direction.

One thing that I continually hear when people are talking about wars and the battles within these wars is how things go wrong while the actual fighting takes place.  There are not many wars that this country has been involved with, that we had to see our total defeat even though we have lost numerous battles within these wars.  We forget that when the shooting starts bullets and other weapons do not have sensors that warn them not to detonate when innocent people are around, nor do these articles have the capability to stop their projections when they see unarmed people.  Whatever the situation is, the object in front of the weapon is a target and this target can be armed or it can be unarmed.

When my recruiter was telling me about the medical corps and how they were considered non-combatants I looked at him and said so you are telling me that they are basically sitting ducks.  He returned with a curious look and then asked why I would say that since the medical corps personnel were located at the back of the actual fighting lines.  I then said not every American battle is won now is it.  This part of our conversation he could not refute in any way knowing that I was correct.  But at that moment I was willing to take that chance and to continue my efforts of becoming an USA recruit which a few months later I changed my mind and entered into the USAF instead.

Now, in quest of our goals of peace one would actually think that having no guns around would be a significant plan in obtaining and keeping the peace.  Wrong!  Once again I have to remind you that there are humans within our world and we have the freedom of will and choice and one of these ideas of choice is to find another way to obtain our goals in life.  And it does not matter to humans what type of laws and regulations are in place since we all have the capability to do what we wish.  Even in a Socialistic or Communist society there were people who created devices to help promote their agenda, on all sides of the society.  And if you do not believe that people have not thought about defending their families and their way of life, you are gravely mistaken in that belief. 

It is a great idea and concept that standing within a battle unarmed and not being wounded in any way is possible.  First of all we must remember that we are in a war both physically and spiritually and the overall objective of both societies is the same, your defeat.  It does not matter how our enemies accomplish this task as long as they get the job done.  And if they sit back and do not attack for some length of time, it is not a time of peace but it is a time for preparedness for that is what they are doing.  Why is it so difficult for humans to believe in this concept?  I guess it is because we have more faith in the phrase “hope springs eternal” than “in God we trust.”

Secondly we must remember that our enemies never forget why they do not like us.  Most of western thinking ignores history and what it means to our society today.  Yes, we have studied it and will use it to our advantage when necessary but we do not believe in it when it points in a direction of controversy and explanation that might make us look like we were wrong in some area long ago.  We also refuse to accept that these people who do not like us use our own tactics against us, even those movements and tactics we claim to be peaceful and non-combatant.

To our enemy this is a sign of surrender and weakness and secretly our enemies laugh at these decisions that are made for they know by these actions that we complete it will one day make their opportunities greater and more successful.  An Army in retreat or in a defensive posture is always subject to being defeated from all directions.  During the Battle of Ardennes the 101^st Airborne Division took heavy casualties yet they never gave up their positions and they never retreated one inch of ground, they had no food, no winter weather clothing, and very little ammunition but their training to be on the offensive kept them alive and continued to hold their line even when it was certain that they would die.

The western world has given up this desire to fight for what is “actually right” and instead have embraced “what we want.”  There is a huge difference between the two sides.  This is evident because we have first given up this concept on the spiritual level and with each passing day this truth becomes more evident.  It is our spiritual beginnings that allow us to conduct our everyday operations in this world and it is our spiritual beliefs that provide the foundation for our true motives to improve humanity.  We have given up on this concept and have replaced it with profane humanistic characteristics that lead away from our Creator.  This places our emphasis on self instead of others and automatically withdraws our thinking into a defensive posture, and our enemy welcomes this move for it pushes his objectives forward; both spiritually and physically.

No matter how much we try and defend our position concerning our defenses, no matter how much we try to convince others that we have no real threat against us, no matter how much our society tries to promote peace around the world, and no matter what laws we pass trying to achieve all of these goals we shall never accomplish one morsel of peace until we return the spiritual authority away from our worldly thinking and give it back to God where it belongs.  Read history and look at what humanity has done to itself throughout the centuries.  Yes, the church has been involved in some of these situations we cannot deny this and this act has fueled many actions against future leaders of the world.  It is not the “church” or “religion” that we to get back to, it is the personal relationship with God that we need to return to.  This relationship is the only way humanity has a chance to survive and once we realize this fact our lives will be changed forever.

There is no such thing as a non-combatant human being.  Our fight began long before we were even born and this fight will continue until the day we draw our last breath.  Our physical enemies wish for our destruction and so do our spiritual enemies.  Both do not care a hoot about us yet they applaud our decisions to withdraw and cower to the world, both physical and spiritual.  It is important that we do not lose this sense of battle within our lives since it is natural for us to defend ourselves in times of turmoil.  It is senseless for us to argue and fight over worthless conditions and ignore the true conspiracies that surround us, both physical and spiritual.  It is ironic that we ignore the spiritual battles that are constantly occurring around us yet we fight over meaningless battles that these same spiritual forces have placed within our paths, both physical and spiritual.

Always remember that our enemies shall never like us no matter what they say and do to try and change our beliefs about them.  They are our enemies for a reason.  Our enemies do not forget why they are enemies nor should we.  We must also ignore the endless chants for the call of further separation from God and His ways for His ways are our only true hope for salvation from sure destruction.  God loves us and He has given us a book that tells us this.  The book describes many things about humans and how they have made their decisions without Him in their lives.  God allows this to occur because they chose to live in that manner.  We need to learn this about us and change the course that we have followed all throughout our history.  It is simple and easy, just turn to God and restore that relationship with Him.

DLB