When Baby Steps Become Directional Flow

When Baby Steps Become Directional Flow

6/28/13

A common human trait is for us to sit around and try and think up of things that will make our lives better.  When we read in history of the soaring temperatures in the summer and then realize that everyone back in the 1800s had no air conditioning what so ever, it is hard for us to image such dedication and strength it must have taken to complete every day jobs back then.  I often wonder how we would function as a society if by some chance those or close to those living conditions would resurface into our lives once again.  Most would say that would be impossible, but one never knows what God has in store for our progressive behavior.

The vast majority of adults loves to sit and watch babies take their first steps and if you are a grandparent and lucky enough to witness this feat, then your life is extremely blessed.  When toddlers take that first big step it is funny to watch their reaction because it is usually one of shock and then after a few seconds a huge grin appears on their face.  Then after a few more minutes of grinning and giggling with the others who are watching them, another wobbly step occurs and the same reactions and facial expressions occur once again.  This is a wonderful time in a parent’s life because they now can begin to brag even more about the development of their child to all of the other parents within their community circle.

A parent also knows that it will not be too much longer until their child is walking without having to hold on to furniture or some other solid object in order to feel safe as they continue to become more mobile within their surroundings.  This is when a parent needs to watch their child more closely since they now have the confidence to take more chances believing that they do not need any “holding on to” help any longer.  The occasional fall and alligator tears do occur but these effects do not stop the child from continuing their walking course nor does it deter their determination to do things on their own.

Eventually, the walking becomes a slight run and a no fear attitude usually grips the child about this time as well.  It is not uncommon to find these same parents in the Emergency room departments with these children since their ambitions overtake their coordination and the body hits the ground hard and results in a nice injury.  All parents fear this time and try to do our best to watch our children’s every move but these times will occur no matter how hard we try to prevent them.  But even with all of the bumps and bruises that we watch our child come in from the playground or backyard with, we also understand that this process is a part of the normal development of our child that has now changed into a directional flow of life.

Parents know the phrase “when he / she starts walking, watch out there will be no stopping her / him.”  All parents have used this phrase and it is a phrase that we all know is true.  Everyone’s life changes when children hit this stage in their lives.  Somehow the daredevil comes out of them when they realize that they can do something new; it is exciting and scary for us adults on every level when this occurs.  The process in which those baby steps become small running motions seem like they are a great idea but still when they run a parent still watches closely because their balance and coordination are sometimes off, and stopping and turning can be quite a chore.  But the process continues and the more that the child runs and turns the more comfortable they become with their new directional activities.

Parents also understand that not every child will progress at the same time.  Some children will walk quicker than others and then run later than others.  Each child is different in these abilities and it just takes time for them to be developed.  Sometimes the parent has to push their child a little in order for them to step out of their comfort zones, this is a normal process as well.

Once the child has “mastered” the art of walking and running other developmental steps are then purposed by the child and the parent then fills up with pride knowing that their child is right on course to becoming a normal human being.  There is a phenomenon that occurs in the child when all of these new events are occurring in their lives and it is the no fear clause.  Even when they fall down and bump themselves they get up and start the process over again, even more determined to complete the task that they fell at.  This is when they are moving out of the baby steps stages and begin the directional flow status. 

The consequences are known and the mind usually understands that they will probably follow, but the heart’s desire to overcome and to do what they believe is right overtakes the mind and then the actions of the child are ramped up and the flow continues in their own direction.  This action is also a normal progression of not only a child but also an adult as well.  But in the case of the adult the options that are there are far more in number than what a child has before them.

An adult has many options that their mind and heart can think about and try and establish within their own personal realm.  Then we have a tendency to feel others that are around us out a bit in order to see if anyone else has the same feelings or thoughts as we do.  Eventually after searching for a while we will locate some who do share the same thoughts and feelings and we then bond with these people to try and see if there is a way that our shared feelings can become reality.

This is a normal progressive mentality that the human follows on a regular basis.  It is a pattern that begins with nervousness and continues until that person does not care who or what people believe about their ideas; they are going to do them no matter what.  They have made the choice to accept this option into their life and then live it out to the fullest.  In other words they have thought about things, reviewed the options, made the choice and are now following the choice that they have made.  Soon this step will become a directional flow within their lives so much so that it will become a part of their lives and they will eventually believe that it was made specifically for them.

When I was in basic training in the USAF, I remember our first night at Lackland, AFB.  There were about thirty of us standing in no real formation at all and there were four men and women walking around all of them yelling at us.  We could not understand any of them and we sure could not figure out what they were trying to tell us to do.  So we stood there and did nothing which made our instructors even more “angry” at us.  Looking back at it now it is hilarious to me but at that time I had no idea of what myself and twenty nine other guys would accomplish together during those six weeks.

As time passed by we found ourselves coming together as a flight and stopped working as individuals.  It is this type of togetherness that keeps military personnel alive when we are on the battlefield and it is sure great to know that the person behind you will not leave you when you need help.  It is this one functioning unit that has developed over these weeks that gave us the confidence to start stepping out and accomplishing more together instead of trying things on our own. 

When basic training was complete our instructors had the confidence in our abilities as soldiers to send us out into the real military world and to function as a soldier should.  From the raw rainbow flight to the well groomed USAF flight was the end goal that our instructors had for our tenure.  It was a hard transitional process but it was exciting at the same time for we knew that it would not be too much longer until the entire military would accept us as one of their own, for our basis training was complete.

It would have been a difficult procedure to follow, but at anytime during my basic training setting I could have backed out and decided that I was not conducive to the military life.  But after my graduation from basic training the scene had changed in which the USAF had spent enough time and effort on my behalf that I was involved in this career for at least four years.  It was a decision that I was proud to have made and I am still proud of it to this day.  I made mistakes and I learned a lot of things as well, it was wonderful time and I would recommend the military path to any young person today. 

At that time after graduation it became clear that the choice I had made was a permanent one and one that I could not change.  The process of options had run out and I had to stick with my choices.  It was one of the first times in my life that once an option had been chosen that I could not change it unless dire consequences would have to be administered.  I am forever known as an airmen of the USAF and I will always have that specific military training in my heart and even to this day, when I am old and fat, I can rely on that training if necessary.

Many of us forget that the choices we make have permanent consequences to them.  We like to believe that once we make a choice about something and after we decide that the choice was not right we change our minds and then walk away from that choice.  If choices were only like that all the time the world would be a much happier place, but the choices that we do make are not that way and every choice we make will stick with us for the remainder of our lives.

Look at all of the WWII German soldiers who were involved with the SS atrocities.  Were all of them involved in those foul deeds upon humanity?  The obvious answer would be, no.  But they do understand now what occurred and that even though they did not directly participate in them they were associated with those acts and their reputation is tarnished forever. 

My point to this topic is this; a choice is a wonderful option that God has given us.  And we as humans need to be mindful and “heartfelt” enough to understand that the choices we make will follow us for the rest of our lives.  Choices are a part of our lives that we embrace quickly but we tend to shy away from the responsibilities that our choices sometimes create.  We humans also have the capability to think about the choices we have in front of us and to study them carefully before we act upon them.

Once we have acted upon these choices there is no turning back from them and we will be associated with those choices forever.  Once upon a time in my life I wanted to become a surgeon.  I have the brains and had the grades to accomplish this opportunity yet I chose to stay in the Medical Technology field and work as a technologist in the clinical laboratory.  So, does this make me a loser enough to be ridiculed by the medical profession?  In some people’s eyes yes it does but in other and in my heart I say no it does not.  But everyone who knows me and knows my background has that thought in the back of their mind.  It is always with me and there is no way I can hide that fact about my life.

So I pose another question to you and this is going to be a question that most of you will answer honestly, but I hope and pray that you think about the question and understand what the consequences are.  How are the choices in your life that you have made, are making now and have in front of you going to affect you and your children’s eternal future?  I do not care about what feels good or how popular the choice will be amongst your circle of friends, but for your eternal future.

The human body is a complex organism which has thousands of little machines all working together to keep us alive and yet with all of this huge amounts of machines working there is still an inner portion of our lives that we tend to forget about and that portion is called our spirit.  It is this portion of our lives that will live on forever and it is this portion of our life that is unique in its origins to just you.  Will your spirit be subjected to all of the beautiful lies that the world has to offer or will it stay as pure as possible by repeatedly having Godly choices within its boundaries.

It is a choice that only you can make no matter what other outside influences might be.  Like the physical choices that we make on a daily basis, this one will follow us as well.  There is a dire importance that we understand this concept and it is even greater of importance that we make the correct choices for our lives.  The world promotes that we can change our minds at any time and then walk away from the things that we chose before, that is one of the more larger beautiful lies that is in front of you.  Your choices are permanent markers in your life and there is a reason for that.

Some of you might have already caught on to what I have been saying and to where I am going with these articles and the progressive choice making procedures.  There is a foundation to our choices and it is one that shocked me when God revealed it to me.  It places the importance upon the choices that we make and that are set before us, it also projects the path of a nation and the consequences that those choices will entail.  The choices that we have before us we can still turn away from or accept, the options are still available to us.  But as we make these choices we need to keep in mind that it is not by popular governmental beliefs or potential friends that will have the final say in our lives, it is God and He will look at the choices that we have made and then tell us of how we did with our talents.

God loves you and He wants you to understand that He is still in the restoration business and it is His desire for you to have a one on one relationship with Him.  It is not God’s will for us to be lost and wandering in a desert but to know and enjoy everything that life has to offer and the only way we can accomplish this type of life is through Him and knowing all of His goodness.

DLB

The Development of an Ideology into Larger Portions

Development of the Ideology Into Larger Portions

6/27/13

Progress is a process that humans thrive upon and love to watch the procedures take hold and then to develop into a final product.  Continual restructuring and redesigning are parts of this growth process in order to get the project out of the concept stage and into the growth stage.  Development does not come overnight and a great deal of thinking and other considerations will arise during this process as well, but progress is constructed for a reason and it would seem silly to stop any project that can benefit mankind.  Baby steps are then taken in order to advance this project which signals the commitment to the project.

World War II was raging in Europe but had not yet come to American shores until 7 December 1941.  The devastating act by the Japanese Imperial Navy was in truth a brilliant strike but at the same time a very grossly misguided strategic error.  The attack on Pearl Harbor was monumental and the results of this attack woke our nation up to begin defending itself from a vicious enemy.  Many of us have studied some of the areas of this conflict and many of us know most of the major battles that played in the final end to the war.  But not all of the battles that were waged were on a large scale but even though their attacks were strategic their importance and significance to the war effort was vital.

I was talking with a young person not long ago about World War II and as the course of the discussion went along it became very clear that this person basically had no clue about the events of this conflict.  I eventually asked if they could name off some of the major combatant nations of WWII and this person could not think of one country that was involved.  I quickly ended the conversation and went on my way doing my best not to embarrass the person any more.  My point is that even though a concept is developed into a masterful plan people need to be aware of what has occurred in the past and what is currently being portrayed in order to develop their ideas in a structured manner.

After the attack on Pearl Harbor a certain no name Colonel in the Army Air Corps thought up of a great idea to get some type of revenge against the Japanese for their sneak attack.  The plan took a considerable amount of time to draw up and ten some tweaking had to be done afterwards.  The plan did not take much arguing before the higher ups to be approved since the morale of the military and civilian populations were basically non existent.  The plan was deemed top secret and considered to be a suicide mission to the ones who knew about the details of the plan.

This conceived plan was the first on America’s side of the war that had any bite to it.  Now that the conceived, developed, directionally flowed, and ten executed plan of the Japanese had been carried out it was time that a response was to be recorded in the history books.  The first steps of the response had to be thought about and ten placed on paper in order to get the overall idea of how it would work.  Then the remaining portions of the plan must be put into practice and then it too executed.

The Colonel chose the men that he wished to serve on this mission which he did in quick order.  There was not much time to wait around and their training commenced immediately.  The men that participated in the mission were given details of the mission as time progressed but the final portion of the plan was kept from tem until they were aboard their transport ship.  The Colonel’s plan was so bold that it was considered by some to be absurd with some higher ups wanting to scrap the plan as time went along.  The training continued and the men had finally reached the point that they were almost ready to command their mission.

The men ten were mystified when they were transported to the coast.  They were army personnel not in the navy, plus they were bomber pilots and crew members not fighter pilots.  Their confusion was enhanced when they noticed that their bombers were being torn apart and then being loaded onto the large aircraft carrier that they were being escorted onto.  The terms had been set and the training conditions made and now it was time to put into practice all of the concepts that had been decided upon in order to execute the plan as it was devised.

The airmen boarded the aircraft carrier still not knowing what their final objective to the mission was but it would not be too much longer until those details would be provided.  The ship steamed out of port and headed west into the Pacific Ocean and it was soon obvious that they were headed towards Japan.  After a short while at sea the time had come to inform every member of the team of the complete mission.  The news hit the airmen like a ton of bricks as the details emerged.  Most of them now realized that their mission would be a suicide and that probably most or all of them would never return to the USA again.

But the dye had been cast and set into stone by their choice to accept the call of the Colonel.  They continued their mental and logistical calculations training while on route to the launching area.  Every bit of their training and the reasons why that they had to do complete specific maneuvers in a particular manner made sense to the crew now; it would be the first time that a bomber plane would take off from the deck of an aircraft carrier on a mission to strike at the heart of Japan.

Even though it was one small plan that was executed successfully, the plan began a nation wide morale booster that propelled the country into a wartime effort that would never cease or to be defeated by the enemy again.  A vow was made to defeat the opposing forces at any cost.  Not every man on this mission returned to America alive but the plan’s message was properly delivered to the Japanese military, government and people.  This small plan enabled the military to gather enough confidence to order larger and bolder plans in the future, in other words this plan served as a cornerstone for further development of bigger plans.

Of course I cannot let this article go and not mention the spiritual aspect of things.  In fact the spiritual side of this article is of great importance and how it plays into the overall plan that our enemy has for our lives.  You may not think that a WWII mission could have any meaning to our current spiritual lives but it does and it needs to be noticed by all.  It is not really about the plan itself but about the process in which the plan was carried out.  There were steps to the plan and each step had to be taken in turn so that the overall goal could be reached.

Even though the participants had blindly agreed to accept their roles in the plan they did not find out every detail until the action had already commenced.  They still had time to back out of the voluntary mission up to a certain point but after that specific time, there was no turning back.  They had a choice and they could change their minds about their choice until their leader deemed them ready for their mission.

The plan that was conceived in one person’s mind and heart led to a group of men completing an extraordinary mission to become instant heroes of this country and for everyone that agreed with democracy.  How is this type of decision and choice making different from the spiritual aspect of our lives?  Not much to be honest.  The same process of decision making goes in the conception and then developmental phases of our choices.  All of us have a choice in whom we serve on the spirit level and it is important for us to recognize the similarities that the physical and spiritual share.

If one understands what God has set into motion concerning the ability for us to make choices then one has to agree that whatever man chooses to do is totally up to us to choose the correct decision.  This means that our choices may have some consequences to them and that we should really consider our options before we dive into one side of the issue.  If we make a choice and it proves to be the wrong one will we even recognize our bad choice and then would we have an opportunity to change our decision.  That is the eternal question that we are faced with on the spiritual aspect of this equation.  God has specifically set into stone His way that we need to follow and it is clear that our present society has chosen an alternate path to follow.

Take a look at some of the western philosophical beliefs that we have incorporated into our lives in our short historical period.  What pattern do you see and how has those decisions affected our society?  It is becoming clear that more and more of these small raiding parties have been conceived and have been developed.  Their potency as individual projects may be overlooked and that is going to prove to be a huge error on our part.

If anyone is not familiar with the raid that I opened up this article with, it was called The Doolittle Raid.  It was named after Colonel James Doolittle, who was the one mind that conceived the plan and then proficiently executed it at the precise moment that it was needed.  The spiritual aspects of these small developing ideas have been in place as well and are now being executed within our society.  We have focused our minds upon selfish motives and the enemy has jumped on the bandwagon to make sure that our plans go through.  It is not my job to make the choices in your spiritual life but I have been instructed to let you know that the choices that our society is making go totally against what God has planned for our lives.  If we do not change our choices now and reverse the decisions that we have initiated, we will have chosen to destroy the society that God once deemed His will.

Stop and see the steps that we have taken are part of a plan to destroy our lives all in the name of peace, love and prosperity.  Without God those aspects can only be cherished by the flesh and cannot be accepted by what God has established for our lives.  The developmental phase of our decisions has been completed.  This phase is still considered to be a point in which our decision making can still be changed.  Yet we have embraced this phase with open arms and the next phase of our choices is now in place as well.  There is still time to change our ways and go back to the ways of God.

DLB

The Concept of Conception

The Concept of Conception

6/27/13

The word conception has many different usages but has only one meaning, it is one of those words that a person who is using it must fully convey the entire topic before the reader or listener can understand what is being spoken.  This word is referred to in many texts and is even a topic of argument within today’s society.  The Bible even uses this word and so does our enemy.  But the word itself describes the initiation of a process of a specific person, place or thing.  We also as a society try and dance around using this word because it also serves as a beacon to others of how one believes.  This seems to be such a touchy way to live when one is talking about a beautiful word.

Anyone who addresses the word conception cannot get around the fact of the definition of the word itself.  The word conception can set off a firestorm between two or more groups or that scene can grow into a national or even international incident.  The usage of the word conception is frowned upon by the majority of the people now-a-days simply because of its origins and what it has the potential of starting.  This word is another one of the things about humans that I find fascinating in that with one simple word a long lasting feud can develop; which is exactly what the common or lay definition of the word is.

To have an idea about a new invention has to be conceived within a person’s head and then planned out accordingly.  Many different pathways will be tossed about during the developmental process of this idea and it may even take a few years or even decades before the idea finally comes to life and is presented to the public for evaluation.  We scientists are continually moving in this direction trying to find cures for diseases and in order for this process to occur we have to brainstorm on a constant basis to try and figure out how to combat these physical conditions.  Conceiving an idea is similar to the word conception and usually refers to something that has been made and will eventually grow; another controversial word.

The conception of an idea will lead to a better product; this is the pattern that one wishes to become reality sometime down the road.  Many times these conceptions lie within ones heart and mind for years before any development happens.  Think about Albert Einstein and all of the theories and ideas that he had floating around in his head.  He is famous for a few of them but how many more were lying up there just waiting to be spoken.  I could spend hours talking about all of the different and potential concepts that one could make with just the equation e=mc2.  The point is that everything that is known to man has to begin with a concept or a conception process; nothing is made without one.

What many people do not think about is that after an idea is conceived within a person and the conception process has begun then the development process automatically begins as well.  A person with an idea in their head does not just want to sit on it and keep it quiet, so the people who have these ideas start to seek out close friends or even other people who have expressed interest in these ideas in order to talk about them and to see if those people might wish to be included in the project.  Soon a small group has been assembled and the ideas have grown from a conception to a developmental stage.  This is a great step forward in those who believe in the cause.

Before I go any further I want to make a short statement concerning this topic.  Being able to have ideas and to think of new inventions to advance mankind is a God given talent and should be exercised with the utmost backing and support.  The idea of producing a product or item that helps humans live longer, or allow them to have access to help them cope with their ailments is a wonderful procession and every aspect of that process should be pursued.  Every human being has this capability of conceiving this kind of idea or has the ability to mention things so that others may have the same developmental ideas begin in their hearts. 

However, since everyone has this capability that means that there are those who believe that their ideas are good ones and that those should be developed and as we look throughout history or read the daily news, these people who wish to maim, terrorize and kill others do fit into this category as well.  And since the popular word of equality is being thrown around now, whether we like it or not we have to include these people as well in this topic.

The Bible actually lays foundation for everyone to be included in this topic.  How many of you understand that our enemy knows the Bible backwards and forwards?  It is a must for him to comprehend every possible word and angle that God has used and since he has this ability he will certainly twist those Holy words enough to suit his purpose.  One verse that stands out to me as of this moment is Matthew 18:20.  This is a wonderful verse that Christians like to use in order to reinforce that God is present when such a small group is assembled.  But have you thought about how our enemy looks at that verse?

The enemy knows exactly how much and to what extent he has access to our lives.  That is his spiritual chain as my uncle compares it as, and he knows just how far he can take it to advance his kingdom.  So if you look at this verse in reverse kingdom issues then you will understand that our enemy has the authority to create destructive patterns in one’s life in order to promote his kingdom.  Because if God can be present in a thought, then why cannot our enemy have the same option.  Think about this for a while and they place it into perspective of what western society has begun to do with their moral standard issues.

I am not trying to twist the scriptures but one also has to remember that the scriptures were written about humans and their surroundings which means that the ones who physically wrote them understood what humans had the capability of and the source from which those ideas came from were.  Matthew 18: 20 is a beautiful passage and it gives hope to so many people around the world that God is present no matter what their circumstances are, but it is a necessity for us to remember that there are two kingdoms present and they are at war and they do not play well with each other and most importantly you are the reason for the war.

The conception of an idea is the defining point and if you ask any scientist the question of “where did it all being?” they will refer back to a specific point in time when the idea came to the forefront of their thinking.  Another aspect that intrigues me is that this conception ideology does not stop with the physical realm but it has free roaming rights within our inner beliefs as well.  And if you ask a person, any person about their beliefs and then ask them when those beliefs were conceived, there will be a certain point in time when those people began to believe in those ideas.  A good example of this is as follows; when did you become a Christian?  Many of us know exactly the date, right?

We all know that the world is waiting with bated breath with some important issues that the world and its followers deem a necessity.  This is all part of human reasoning and the theories that certain people have conceived within their minds and hearts.  This is a part of the other side of the kingdom issues that I was explaining about a couple of paragraphs above and it is so relevant for our lives today.  A frequently hear that the Bible is not relevant for today…..this proves that those people need to study the Bible a bit more instead of just picking out verses to promote their ideas.

The concept of conception is not a new process and it has been around with us ever since God created man.  God is an everlasting, true and just God and He has given every one of us the opportunity to choose His ways.  He also has given us the opportunity to reject His words and ways and for us to live our own lives without acknowledging He presence.  This is the epitome of a loving creator who wishes to have a relationship with each one of us.  Giving us the ability to formulate miracles of technology within our heads is a fabulous work of originality, but we must remember that these ideas that we have can be used against humanity as well.

The ways of man are becoming more clear each day and just how much they differ from God’s ways.  This too is ok and God will allow this to occur because it is His just nature for mankind to try to achieve things on its own.  However, we need to be careful about some certain information areas concerning the contemplation of the conception ideology.  Once an idea has been thought about and then promoted to others, that idea will eventually grow into a product through a developmental process and it is this developmental process that will allow this idea to grow and to become a “living” product.  Whether it is a human, nuclear device or a cure for cancer once the idea is conceived it will develop somewhere and somehow in others.

Having the ability to conceive an idea is a glorious aspect of our lives, but we need to have our hearts and spirits grounded in God’s word well enough to thwart the ideas that come into our thinking that would harm humanity.  There is no mixing of God and the world, there never has been and there never will be and it is of the utmost importance that we remember this concept on a minute by minute basis.  For if we do not, and we are continually witnessing that we do not, keep this in our heads we will head down a very violent and destructive path both in the physical and in the spiritual manner.

It is well documented that God will allow humans to make their own conceptions about Him and what they are supposed to do in the world.  And it is also well documented that those ways can be praised and dispatched at the same time.  However there is a way that we can know that our conceptions are for the good of mankind and that there is still time for us to change our ways but with the current beliefs and standards of the world, we better begin that change now.  God is still in the restoration business and it is His goal to restore our land back to where it was but in order for Him to allow this process we must turn back to him and to turn our conception ideologies back in His direction.  Let it be known that our ways and beliefs have given way to a conception of a destructive manner and the next step in which we are taking is development of these concepts and if we do not open our spiritual eyes and see the damage that we are causing, God will have no choice but to act like a real parent.

DLB

The Irony of Firefighters

The Irony of Firefighters

6/26/13

All of us understand the duties that a firefighter has and all of the dangers that the job entails.  If we live in a city, town or even close to a forest the potential of seeing a firefighter on a regular basis is somewhat high.  But have we stopped to think about the spiritual firefighters and what they do to our lives and do we even need spiritual firefighters around us?  I have to admit I never have thought about this concept before but we need to keep in mind that one type of firefighter is a necessity and the other type is not needed at all.

When I was in kindergarten my class had a day at the end of the year that allowed us to stand up in front of the class and tell everyone there what we wanted to be when we grew up.  All of the popular professions were represented of course with a few unusual ones thrown into the mix as well.  I picked the fireman since the job involved a large red truck that had lights and sirens on it.  Other than putting out fires with a huge hose and being able to ride in that red truck I had no clue of what firefighters actually did on a daily basis and to this day I still do not have an accurate description of all the things that firefighters are required to do on a routine basis either. J

We have all watched TV programs and saw how Hollywood portrays firefighters and most people who have lived in cities have probably witnessed them in action.  These men and women save hundreds and maybe thousands of lives each year by literally running into burning buildings and rescuing those who cannot get out.  Also, these same people who run into these buildings probably have saved countless other buildings and structures because of their training.  It takes a brave soul to complete the job of a firefighter and I have the utmost respect for them and their families.  It is a dangerous duty but a job that if no one wished to do it, the majority of us would have probably lost more personal treasures than we would like to speculate.

Living out in the western portion of the country we experience many days and nights with dry heat.  Dry heat is different than humid heat but it still has its dangers.  Dry heat is like an oven, literally and everything that an oven can do to food, those same environmental conditions can be created with this type of heat.  So almost every year that I have been living in the West, there have been major forest and grass fires that have plagued and then scorched our lands.  Even though the majority of them are started by Mother Nature humans do play a role in these engulfing infernos on occasion.

No one living in these parts of the country ever wish to hear the words 0% contained or uncontrollable when the people speaking these words are referring to a fire.  Fire and the potential for destruction will always strike fear into any heart and it is a normal reaction for those in the line of the fire’s path to be uneasy about the potential circumstances that they may be faced with in a short time.  It is the fear that fire will damage personal property that ignites controversy and only leaves more questions after the fire has been contained.

The importance of firefighters when these conditions flare up is unspeakably important to the well being of our lives.  If it was not for the jobs that these men and women do for a living the fires that roar across thousands of acres would not be contained and would eventually come into contact with major metropolitan areas.  Even with everything done possible there are still some wildfires that make into parts of these urban areas, and when this situation occurs we witness devastation that can create panic if left uncheck.

When I was a boy I remember a time when we began the process of trying out for another church.  I had no idea of why, what, or when and at that time I had no need to know or to understand.  However, I did pick up on a few things here and there and could recognize some repeated events or similar situations if they came into being.  One of them was a sermon that my dad used on occasion and it was a great sermon and it had a powerful and thought provoking message in it.  Now, remember that this example occurred was when I was a young boy, which means back in the early 80s or even in late 70s but the message that God gave dad for this sermon rings true and loud today as our country makes decisions that will affect our future.

I cannot remember the actual title of the sermon but it dealt with being tempered by fire and what happens after the firing process is completed.  I dubbed this sermon as “dad’s trying our sermon” because for a while he used this sermon when he and mom were trying out for the church.  I also remember him speaking one time at a church as a guest, with no strings attached at all.  He preached this sermon and when I began to hear the words, I leaned over and whispered to mom if we were trying out for the church.  She reassured me that they were not and that everything was ok and that dad was just doing what God had instructed him to say.

The sermon dealt with the process that God has us go through when He is getting rid of all our impurities.  Dad used a story about a punch and how it must be tempered before it can be used in the manner to which it was created for and if that punch is not tempered and then the worker goes to strike it, the punch will bend beyond repair with the first strike of the hammer.  See it is the presence of the impurities that make the punch inadequate for its usage and it is a wonderful example of how God needs to place us through the fire in order for our lives to be worthy of the trials and temptations that we will face each day of our lives.

It is the spiritual fire that I am talking about that God uses in order to complete our mission.  This spiritual tempering allows God to take away our impurities that our enemy will use against us in times of battle.  These impurities have also climbed into our lives by our continual exposure to the world and its lies and these impurities will continue to grow and weaken our spiritual condition if we do not allow God to place us into the fire for purification. 

Where do the firefighters come into play with this article?  I am glad you asked because they are spiritual firefighters that have the same mentality as the physical firefighters do.  Our enemy will try and do anything in order to keep us from going through the fire that God has for us.  And yes, this includes spiritual firefighters; seems kind of farfetched huh, but keep reading.

When we give God access to our hearts and inner lives we also allow Him to begin the process of purification.  God does not desire to see us suffer with the things of the world nor does He wish for us to keep these impurities within that we have acquired.  As with the installation process of His covenant He consumes the impurities with His holy fire and burns them away all the while making a statement to our enemy that this vessel is now cleared from this access.  It is important for us to remember that His covenant is pure and its origin so that means any imperfection noticed will be exhumed by this fire.  So, it is natural for our enemy to place firefighters around this fire in order to keep it from doing its job.  It is only natural that our enemy would respond in this manner.  He always has a counter action when God decides to act; this is another point to keep in mind as well.

God does not have spiritual firefighters, for if He did then it would nullify His covenant with man that He specifically described in the Old Testament.  God’s fire is specific and pure reaching to what needs to be burned and the portion that is not to be touched, untouched.  There is no maybe about God’s fire and He does not need any firefighters to watch over His fire while it is being administered.  He created the vessel that the fire is being used upon and He even created the fire itself so why would He need any help in “controlling” the fire?

Spiritual firefighters are placed in these strategic places within our spirits so that we have an option if we feel that they are needed.  Satan places them there in plain view so that we have plenty of opportunity to use their services if we wish.  It is a personal choice and once that they realize that God is in control of this purification process and that we are not changing our minds they have to stand down, but if doubt ever arises they will be right back as fast as they can.  For, they understand this purification process and they know that because of their choices in the distant past they cannot have this opportunity of purification again and all that they are doing is trying to selfishly obey their boss.

So there is the irony of the firefighters.  On the physical side of life firefighters have a very important job to complete when called upon and on the spiritual side of things firefighters are straight from the pit of hell trying to douse the holy flames that God is using to strengthen your life and to purify it at the same time.  God is trying His best to make you “punch worthy” so that we can complete our mission as He wants us to. 

The spiritual fire and its ‘burning” will hurt and it will cause some discomfort, but after God has completed His work in us our lives will blossom even greater than we could ever imagine.  True inner freedom will ring from our lives and our spirit will once again be free to worship God and to communicate with God as it was created to do.  A restored spirit is a unique and pure one, to which only those who have allowed God to complete this process can understand.  It is God’s desire for you to choose Him and to allow Him to make you spiritually strong once again.  So if you see any physical firefighters out and about, go up to them and thank them for the jobs that they do, but if you see any spiritual firefighters in your life, ignore them and then point them out to God so that He can take care of them for you.

DLB

Spiritual Land

Spiritual Land

6/25/13

Throughout history, one can gather that mankind has always looked at itself accordingly to the amount of wealth that it has and then, in turn, classified itself within the global markets by using this status.  It is interesting to read about all of the countries that have jockeyed back and forth over these wealth terms and on the other hand, it is sad to which length these countries have taken in order to acquire such possessions.  The Church cannot be excluded in these practices and when one reads these stories about history they will find that the Church is somehow represented.  How wrong have we been to think that this is a function of the church; which in truth the Church’s true power lies in the spiritual and not the physical.

When one asks a person to name an event in German History one of the quicker and easier responses would be concerning the timeline of Hitler and World War II.  This is a general knowledge subject in whom his examples of leadership, reasoning and political negotiating are still used in both the public and private sectors of the world.  The majority of information that one will hear about this time period would be considered of a bad nature and rightly so.  This period of German History is not a pleasant one to study nor does it represent a positive aspect of human history either.

I am going to take you back further into time in German History for examples of this article, all the way back to the 10th Century.  Of course, modern warfare and technology were not even close to being produced and the weaponry that was popular at that time was barbaric, to say the least.  But the weapons of that time served their purpose for the type of warfare that the imperial worlds against their enemies. 

Land was a major factor in the wealth of a king, prince, lord, count or any other type of leader who represented a form of government.  This commodity was so important to the lifestyle of a government that a king or ruler would wage war against a fellow ally in order to secure their borders for another and more complicated conflict in the near future. 

Land itself was used as a weapon against other kingdoms and landholders in the area.  Competitions and threats were commonplace throughout these regions and it was not unusual at all to hear about peasants fighting over what little bit of land they had to work.  It seemed like every level of the secular world was engrossed into the concept of land and power in order to secure their place in history.

I watched a program recently that dealt with a son who had been accused of treason against his country during WWII.  He came from a family whose lineage in this country was very long and in fact it was one of the original names of the country itself.  Yet, he was on trial for treason and had been found guilty and was sentenced to hang for his crimes.  The family estate was enormous and his father would occasionally stand and look out over the vast amount of acreage which the modern movie cameras could not accurately represent.  But even though the family had all of this land, money and power it could not stop the actions of the human for which this story was based upon.  So in the end what good did it do to the family to have this land?  Not much when the root of the problem had not ever been addressed properly to begin in the first place.  This is true as well when one reads about the times in the past centuries when rulers, dictators and other leaders of nations or regions have fought over land without just cause where it concerns the sanctity of life.

Jesus understood the politics of land and the value of its holdings on the governmental level.  He had to know about this since He lived during one of the stronger periods of the Roman Empire.  Yet, He was not concerned with what was going on within the political community and only addressed these types of issues when the religious leaders cornered Him on them.  His goal was not to advance the newly formed Christian faith concerning land but on a personal and interior level which included everyone. 

This concept of inclusion for everyone has the secular governments and their philosophies in disarray.  These political organizations cannot function unless they have rivals throughout the land and even if they did not have any rivals they would still bicker amongst themselves since no two human minds can agree completely on every issue.  This aspect is the key difference in what Jesus represented as the Church versus what the Church and secular governments have dictated throughout history.  This is why it is vital for the survival and the life of the Church to separate itself from the ways of the world and not to embrace any secular policies that would hinder the spiritual aspects and foundational fundamentals of the Church.

However, when we look into Church history we see that the Church has taken a totally different policy towards what Jesus established.  I am still going to stick with the 10th Century as my example for this portion of the article and one will see how the Church has differed from Jesus’ intentions for His church.  If Jesus was interested in physical land He would have taken up Satan’s offer to Him on the mountain when He was being tempted.  It is not physical land but spiritual land that God is interested in.

Jesus instilled a holy fire within the Church after His resurrection by allowing God to send the Holy Spirit down to earth in order to establish the connection with God once again.  It is this fire that Jesus commanded us to instill into other people that do not know about His life, death and resurrection and what these acts mean to our lives.  It is these principles in which discipleship is to be manifested by our lives through the blood of Jesus onto those who choose to receive this relational communication with God.  This is the purpose and ministry of the Church and this is what Jesus established while He was living on earth.

The people that have been in control of the physical church have taken the spiritual authority of the Church and have prostituted it for the physical power and glory of the Church.  The physical power of the Church should have never been used in order for people to become spiritual, it is the reverse that is true.  It is the spiritual authority that Jesus established through His life that enables the spirit to influence the physical realm. 

This is the only manner in which the Church can spiritually function and legally lay claim to the lives of this world.  If this order is not in place as such then everything that Jesus did to establish the direct communication with God for mankind is voided and His life, death and resurrection basically becomes a spiritual joke to our enemy.  The New Testament Church was not designed to have lands large enough to have physical armies ransack villages, towns, and cities.  It was created to have spiritual armies to combat the battles that were now being waged upon humans because of the acts that Jesus accomplished for us.

We can read about hundreds of church wars in the 10th Century alone.  Thousands of people were killed in the name of God and millions of acres destroyed and captured from other people in the name of God.  I am not saying that every war is unnecessary for there are times that one needs to defense oneself.  But to deliberately kill in the name of God in order to advance a physical cause so that the Church can stay within the protection of the physical king?  That is not what Jesus died for and surely not what He proclaimed while He was on earth; however, He did witness it as the Romans pursued their enemies in this manner.

The Church was used for and used by the ruling governmental bodies in order to advance and to manipulate people to capitulate their lands, means, and loyalties in order to remain a part of the Church.  If the Church or its believers complied with the government then they would be excommunicated from the overall Church governing body and then either banned from the lands anyway or killed in the name of God as heretics.  Is this what Jesus set apart from the world as the entity that is supposed to preach the gospel?  The fire of the Church was burning people and not their spirits which is totally off of the path that Jesus commanded.

It is time once again that the Church separates itself from the governmental bodies and begin to reignite the spiritual fire that was set into motion when Jesus established it.  If the spiritual fire is present then the Church will be a forward and progressive church, one that sheds all human activities and displays the Spirit of God so much that it cannot be hidden even from the physical eyes.  We have allowed our spiritual fire to dwindle or to even be squelched which in turn makes our mission dead on arrival.  We need to restore our spiritual hearts back to God and to allow Him to start our flame once again and to take back the spiritual land that we have given to our enemy.  This war is a spiritual one but as we begin to take back the spiritual land we lost, the physical will be active as well, so we must be prepared for battle.

A Church set apart from the world both in spirit and in the physical; this is the meaning of the word Church.  Because of the structure of the Church and how it was established there cannot be any cooperation with the world, not even one tiny speck, it is impossible.  This is the true Church and one that needs to be written about in current history for our children and grandchildren to read about one day.   It is this type of Church that the world needs to know and to see on a daily basis, and it all begins with your repentance, restoration back to God.

DLB

The Shock and Awe According to the Bill Cosby Theory

The Shock and Awe According to the Bill Cosby Theory

6/25/13

It is evident throughout history that mankind has a tendency to ignore the subtle, small and even large hints that something is amiss within their society.  I also find it amusing that when these societies are warned they usually scoff or totally ignore the ones that are doing the warnings.  We humans like to believe that catastrophic events that have been predicted will be further down the road, and they may, but it would seem to be that our Creator sees the patterns that we are building and He is sending out warnings to everyone that we need to change our ways, yet our ignorance is bliss and we continue our methods as is, that is until something goes wrong and then the questions arise.  Maybe we should heed these warnings instead of placing our heads in the sand and hoping that God is wrong and that we are correct.

One of my all time favorite entertainers in the world is Bill Cosby.  I do not agree with everything that he says, produces and believes but over the decades that I and my family have watched his specials and programs the majority of what he is trying to get across to others is of a high standard.  Mr. Cosby has produced and written approximately a thousand of children’s and family programs that have been broadcast throughout the world.  I remember watching one of his first huge projects when I was a kid and ever since that time I have tried to catch as many of his productions as possible.  One of my all time favorite works of his is a standup comedy routine that was recorded in the late 80s and it is called “Bill Cosby Himself.”

I am not going to tell you about the entire routine but I am going to use a portion of his monologue to demonstrate the topic of this article concerning the human reaction when things go wrong after the warnings have been issued.  I am going to place the scene into my own words but please know that all credit for the example goes to Mr. Cosby.

The scene began after dinner was over and it was time for the kids to get their bath for the evening.  The dad stopped all of them before they left the dining area.  Knowing how they would act after they left the dining area was on his mind because he knew that they would goof off and try to stall the bath time for as long as possible.  So, the dad did his best in trying to warn them just to go upstairs and decided who was going to get in the bath first and just do it.  His warning also included that if they did not do this how he was telling them to do it that someone was going to get it tonight.

The response of the children was classic in that the majority of us have done the exact same reaction when we have been warned about something.  I myself have scoffed at the warnings that my parents gave me at times and thought that I would have enough time to do things that I was told to do before my parents got upset, but it is really easy to forget about time when you are engrossed in things that you want to do or believe you have to do before the truth comes into light.  The kids in this scene did exactly that and allowed the advice of their dad to go into one ear and out the other without bouncing around inside their head for a while.  The dad even received a courtesy nod of the head from one of the children as they scurried out of the area.

The dad knew what was going to eventually happen due to the fact that he understood what kind of lineage the kids had when it came to taking baths after dinner.  He was actually trying to prevent them from getting disciplined for the same thing that they have received over and over for quite some time now.  But once again the children believed that they knew more than the parents and went along their merry way to their respective places and began their delaying tactics.

The mom told the kids to go up and get ready for their baths and for someone to be first in the tub.  Many noises were heard upstairs and even in the bathroom but to her amazement no water was being heard running through the pipes.  After a few minutes of no bath water noises, the mom began to yell at the ceiling and to ask why the water was not running.  A short time after the short question session the sound of running water was heard and the parents went back to their respective activities on the lower floor.  The water continued to run as normal in which each child took their bath and then tried to dress themselves.

This process evidently never went well especially when shouting and other physical contact noises would then be heard as the kids began to jostle for positions within the bathroom.  Soon one of the children would come down and inform the parents that something wrong was going on in the bathroom which would prompt a harsher response from the mom.  In which the one child would then run up and tell what was said to the others.  And of course, the procession upstairs could not be quelled properly and another child would then appear downstairs with the same complaint.  But by the time the second child finished explaining what had occurred, the remaining kids would have joined the area all trying to tell their story at the same time.

At this point the mom has had enough of the excuses for what has not been done even though it has been explained to them many times in the past.  So, the mom stops what she is doing and beings to loudly inform the children of her displeasure in the fact that they have been told numerous times over the past few months to complete this routine almost every night and still to this day they argue with each other and do not do what they have been told to do.  The children stand there and look shocked and stunned because mom has taken this position with their actions.  They stand there with their mouths open in utter disbelief not knowing what prompted this action by their mother.  This is where Mr. Cosby has comically penned the term “brain damaged” damaged children since even though they have been told over and over they refuse to do what the people in authority have instructed them to do. 

The father knew the history of this very moment and everything that led up to this moment within the house.  He tried his best to warn them that if they did not obey what the mother wanted done that they would be in trouble, yet they act like they have never witnessed the response of the mother ever before.  They become angry with the mother and begin to argue with her and begin the blame game towards and against their siblings.  In short, they seem to not get the fact that the parents know what needs to be done and that they set boundaries in order for things to go smoothly as possible for the children.

Ok, some reality checks here.  Did this story happen just as it was described, probably not, but in reality this type of scene or similar ones like it does play out in many households every evening.  It is a fact that children like to do things in their own timing and since children are humans then these same patterns will most likely present themselves once again when adulthood is achieved.  Therefore, the other reality check is that we as adult humans who make the decisions of our communities, states, and nations can have the same thought processes and reactions to things of a similar sort when they occur as well.  It is a normal pattern and one should keep this in mind when things arise in their lives that do not completely suit our well being.  But there is a reason for these warnings and it is of dire importance that we heed them now and not wait to see the results down the road.

I find it interesting how a problem develops within one or two people and then by the time the disciplinary actions take place everyone around is involved and usually included in the process.  This does not mean that everyone was actually involved in the process breakdown but somehow everyone is included in the final motions of the authority figure.  This is not a new concept to us for most of us have been swept up into situations of this nature at some point in our lives.  A personal choice of one person eventually includes others that if caught or found out about will include them as well in whatever comes down the troublesome pike.

Read history and you will find that this pattern of behavior and its consequences have been played out thousands of times.  The personal choices that we make, which are God given, do have an effect not only on our personal lives but also the lives of those around us.  The growth pattern of these choices will eventually find fertile ground to grow exponentially and then these ideas and perceptions will become the norm and expected to be accepted and followed without question.  Now we all know and understand that not every decision that mankind makes is harmful to their societies, but once again if you look throughout history the majority of the decisions that humans make on a societal level are made with so called good intentions but in the end turn out to be disastrous.

When one reads these stories in history, one might also realize that the majority of these disastrous decisions have been made without being in the patterns of society that God desires for His people.  Yes, some of these decisions have been made in the name of God but that does not make them Godly choices.  These decisions are human in nature and demonstrate the weakness in relationship with God and the renewed strength on the reliance with man instead.  This is the deadly portion of man’s reasoning and thinking since man places his trust in each other to find solutions instead of following God’s plan for their society.

The majority of the decisions that humanity make are deemed important to self and to the survival of the society itself.  These are noble decisions and should be respected but where to these decisions lie within the boundaries that have been set by God?  Are they within the confines of His blessings and desires for our lives?  How can we override His goals that He has placed in our spirits in order to provide a temporary and pleasurable outcome that produces no valuable impact upon our lives?  Humanity thrives on these types of maneuvers and it seems like we love to roll around in our own creative mud in order to prove that we were right.

Eventually, the decisions that we make for our lives and societies will come back to either help us or haunt us.  It is agreeable that not everyone may participate in these decisions or even agree with them, but on a societal level everyone who lives within the realm of said society are eligible to reap what has been sown.  There will come a time that the one being that has the authority to set into motion the final results of our decisions has to make the timing choice in order for His will to be completed. 

Many people have stated over the centuries that “god works in mysterious ways” and this statement is very accurate.  What we have not heard is this specific phrase used when things go wrong or bad for our lives, it has always been attributed to the good things in our life.  This usage of this phrase in such a conditional manner actually programs our thinking and reasoning to rely on God only in the good times and then have a foundation for blame on others when things go wrong.  Throughout the Bible when one reads about such catastrophic events that occur to the world and the people they have been thoroughly warned beforehand and then cry out in anger when the time for patience has been waned.

This type of response from the adult society is exactly how the children reacted in the example that I provided at the beginning of the story, with a few differences of course.  The setting can be compared to and the eventual outcome can be related to as well.  WE as humans love to make our own decisions and that is perfectly normal.  But we must have our minds, hearts, and spirits grounded in God so that the decisions that we make will be the best ones for not only our specific lives but for our family’s lives and our society as well.  If we are grounded into God’s ways and mode of thinking we are setting ourselves up for a huge fall and the future consequences of this type of decisions will be disastrous.  It does not matter who you are or what title you hold in life, everyone is subject to these decisions and their results.

I have been instructed to remind you, us, of this condition within our society and for us to re-evaluate our standing in these decisions that we have made.  We need to also reevaluate our relationship with God first and then take a deeper look into the things that we have set into motion before it is too late.  This is our time to stop and to make the necessary changes in our ways in order to stay out of trouble in the future.  We can no longer afford to look at things through the physical mind and physical wants we must turn around and give God the reigns of our land once again. 

I am not saying that every little accident that occurs is a direct action from God but every little accident should jolt our hearts into action in order that we start to re-evaluate the condition of our hearts.  I do know that there is a battle ongoing and that the price is our lives, our spiritual lives which mean everything to God and nothing to our enemy.  I am saying that unusual events that occur can be a direct act that God allows because He wishes to get our attention in order to bring us back to Him and that we choose Him once again.

We need to lose our pride and back up and allow God to direct our paths once again.  For if we do not our society as we know it will face such hardship like we have never known.  We are a mighty and powerful society and our depths stretch throughout the world.  God knows this and so will our demise if we do not turn back to Him.  For this article is not solely directed at the Church but also society itself as well.  The Church should already know their standing within the world and should already be correcting our stance, but it seems like even we need to be reminded again of our current status within.  Repent!!  And then allow God to restore our country and societal beliefs back to God so that we may once again know true healing of our land.

DLB