Being Set Apart

Being Set Apart

4/27/16

The topic of this article is a unique one in that it focuses on a specific group of people or at least it gives the impression of such. We have many examples of this type of person and group but for the most part instead of trying to understand their differences we condemn them and place them into a derogatory composition.  Through these actions, we clearly portray our lack of knowledge concerning who actually is set apart and why they have been placed in this setting.  And if we are honest, we have lost our true concept that this phrase pertains to our individual lives and our nation as a whole.  God has given us the hope and trust through Him and ironically through our own self-indulgent idolatry have thrown the only way to safety to the wayside. Our situation shall not change until the Church and our societies realize that we are in dire need of a return to God.

God has repeatedly shared with us that each one of His children has a specific and divine purpose for their life and there has never been any person that has fallen outside of this state.  Many people doubt the fact that God exists or that God is the originator of our lives but it is difficult for anyone to ever believe that people do not have a reason for their existence.  All of us have been impressed or influenced by someone in our lives.  Whether it be a father or uncle, a president of a company or a past person in history all of us have people that influenced our lives and whether we know it or not these people direct our pattern of thinking that dictates our future.  It is important that we find good role models to follow and to pattern our lives after for if we do not our enemy has an easy path to our heart and will cause havoc amongst our lives.

I honestly believe that God is the best example for this type of following because on every level God calls us to be separated and different from those around us.  There is a reason He states this truth to us over and over in His Word, it is because He wants us to stand out from the world and to be a sign of difference than what the world has to offer.  In order for us to understand this truth about our lives we must know why the world is so full of commonality and selfishness that presents harm to our lives. This is a vital area of our lives that we have forgotten and even the Church has pursued a common bond with the world all the while ignoring the reason why God said to separate from the world.  I find it amazing that while the world screams for separation of church and state they do not fully comprehend what that type of existence would really present if applied; another lie and false claim that the world preaches but cannot fulfill.

The entire Bible is filled with examples of how God wants His children to be separate from the world and on the other hand, the Bible is filled with just as many examples of people trying to include themselves in the world with the consequences of both hands being demonstrated in plain text.  One of the most famous examples is that of Adam and Eve when God created them and placed them in the Garden of Eden.  God’s Word makes it very evident that He created a special and separate place for Adam and Eve to live and to have dominion over, a land where there was no problems, sin, anger, hate, weeds, etc yet after a while the mechanisms that God gave to them began to be manipulated by an enemy and eventually choices were made to override this perfect state and life.  And anyone who has studied this setting understands that the consequences of their actions still rule our lives today.

Another example that we have is when God begins to speak to Abram and guides him into a covenant relationship with Him.  Of course, this is all new to Abram and there are quite a few new concepts and living conditions that must change due to the status of separation that God has for Abram; this is evident when God personally changes Abram’s name to Abraham which has a total new root meaning than what he was given at his birth.  This divine covenant and all of its terms sets apart Abraham from the world and it serves as the foundation of a new people called Israel.  This covenant sets the nation of Israel into motion and gives them a life separate from others that inhabit the same earth, as it sets into play another type of separation that we shall study later in the Bible.  God wishes for His people to be separate from the world and it is clear as to why this needs to occur; I guess there must be something horrific about being separated from God – another example of a separation.

The Bible gives us a great example of the concept of people that wish to be separated from God, remember God is a complete God and when He is giving examples of His existence He shall never tell just one side of His existence.  There came a time inIsrael’s existence that they had come to the conclusion that they were tired of God ruling them.  They had taken a poll, gone out to their neighboring nations and took notice of how their lives were run.  They pooled the information together and then spread the results around to the people of Israel.  Over time the people decided that God was not good enough for them so they went to the prophet – I find that so hilarious – and demanded that God no longer their King but be ousted for a human king.  God provides us with a huge answer here about the condition of mankind and how He is a loving God and not a controlling deity.  He reassures Samuel that the people are not sore with him but with God instead and then grants the people their wish but with a divine statement attached, you are not going to like it.  Do you want to have a very eye-opening study session?  Read the existence of Israel before they made this decision and then end the study with their lives after this decision.

Another example of God’s separation desire for our lives is evident in the era of the prophet Elijah when he instructed the prophets of Baal to conduct a fire offering to him.  The prophets cried out to Baal to come down and to consume the offering but nothing happened.  Elijah stoked the fire by taunting the prophets into “heavier” action but still nothing occurred.  Elijah then built his altar to God and placed his sacrifice to God and prayed.  God came down in the form of fire and consumed both offerings in a holy order that can only be completed by God.  This example states that God and all that follow Him are set apart from the world and all of its false beliefs and that there is none higher in existence that Him; a true testimony that God is a complete God and one that cannot deviate from His order and consistency.

The perfect example of separation that God has provided us is through His Son.  Emphasis has been placed on many aspects of Jesus’ life including everything from His mother to His immaculate conception.  While these two portions of His life are very important and contribute to His authority they have their own reasons for being, the one all-inclusive separation factor of His existence is that Jesus represents the eternal sacrifice for all mankind, past, present and future.  His existence, life, death, and resurrection also prove that mankind would not totally understand what God meant by living a complete separation from the world which only His separate created Son could provide.

Many other religions claim to have a leader who represents to have the truth about life.  All of these religions have one thing in common, a complete human or symbol as the one who guides their practices.  They inform to be one with the world and to supply nature with their goodness in order to obtain special conditions that will flourish their existence here on earth.  The amount of variables that these religions offer are countless yet countless people fall into these religions believing that the answers will be provided to them; all they produce are dead ends that frustrate these seekers more and further drive them away from the real and life-giving truth of God.

Jesus is separate from any other religious belief in that He was created by Spirit and delivered by a human.  His blood is holy and unadulterated by sin; therefore, He can be the only claim to restoration and covering that is required by God for our redemption from the world.  The process of sacrifice in the Old Testament reflects this truth and provides us a concept that cannot be broken.  This tradition of sacrifice was carried out by Israel but became a religious event to them just as God predicted it would back in the Garden of Eden.  Through the creation of Jesus, God proved once again that He is totally separate from the world and the ways of mankind and through this state of His, cries out to His children to live like Him.

Want a New Testament example instead of the Old Testament ones?  Ok, did you know that one of the New Testament churches actually believed that the people who attended that church were humanly superior in thought than other churches?  And, in another church it was believed that God told women to withhold sex from their husbands after they were married; of course, they did not have sex before marriage either.  These examples are ones of inclusion into the world and not separation from the world.  These practices were believed to have come from God, clearly lies from Satan instead because God cannot deviate from His Word for any reason or at any time.  For if He ever did, His claim to be all Creator, the beginning and the end would be a lie.  His Word would be deemed a lie and His Son would rightly be proclaimed as a fraud. 

So, the question that begs us today is as follows: are we living a separate life from the world?  The first article that God showed me to write was about the separation of church and state.  It was a very simple article that had a powerful message to it.  The concept of separation is one that many of us take for granted and when fully completed usually marks us for the remainder of our lives.  In all truth, a total separation of church and state would create an entirely new nation or secession from the entity that it claimed as united with before, so when we use this term we must make sure that we know all of the contents involved first. We need to live our lives according to this concept all the while keeping Jesus’ words of give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and give to God what is God’s.  It is a fine line but it can be done only if one keeps God’s Word true in their heart completely.

With all of the news headlines that grace our eyes today it is clear that this nation has no plans to change her course and to include God again in her presence.  God shall allow this to occur and to give us our choices but we must consider the consequences because God is a complete God and cannot change His ways.  So, this means that the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament is the exact same God of today.  Therefore, since God is following His patterns of the past by allowing our choices to rule our lives then at some point in time our lives shall totally change because we are following in the footsteps of all those people in both testaments in His Word.

How dare I say such a thing?  Read and study God’s Word, take copious notes and then organize them into a book of your own. Then read and study the patterns that God has provided and then come to an honest conclusion of that content.  I am not saying these words to you, God is!  He loves us so much that He has provided us a direct path of light to help us get through the world and its issues yet we push this light aside with every worldly step we take.  I hear so many people say that they hate God and that they wish people would stop shoving God down their throats.  What is hilariously sad is that we are proving God’s Word correct with every step that we take to push Him out of our lives.

Now, that brings me to the last portion of this topic and that is the identification of the Church and where she stands in this being set apart command that God established a long time ago.  Remember, that God is a consistent God and cannot change so His standards way back when are still in effect today.  With that said, should I even address the situation or can it just be assumed that the Church is not following God’s command in being separate from the world.  For this is exactly what is occurring and I can use the present tense here because her inclusion into the world is alive and it is growing at a steady pace.  The Church has willingly allowed this to occur because she has no defensive mechanisms in place that would tell her otherwise.

Instead of the Church desiring to be separate from the world, our enemy has convinced her that she needs to be separate from God.  There is nothing wrong with having doughnuts in a church building, but when that concept becomes more important than the war that is going on for your eternal setting then that is a problem.  There is nothing wrong with going to a homeless shelter and feeding those who are in need but when feeding them physical food becomes more important than feeding them the salvation according to the Bible there is a HUGE problem.  Church, there is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG with allowing sinners into the church for that is what we are here to complete, but when we allow that sinner to sit in the pews and NOT teach them that sin is sin and it will send you into an eternal damnation setting from God that definitely means that an eternal problem exists.

Church, the time has arrived that we finally place our hearts in God’s Word and understand its entire message.  God calls us to be separated from the world even though we must walk on this earth every day that we draw breath.  We have no one to blame but ourselves because we have been content with conditional readings up until now.  Look around you and see what state the world is in, it has not changed.  Look around you, and see what state Jesus’ Church is in and it will be evident that we have missed His command completely.  Yes, even the Church is proving God’s Word to be correct – we did in the Old Testament and the New Testament and we are continuing that path today.

God is calling every single person within the world to repent and turn to His face for salvation and redemption.  It does not matter if you have ever known God before, He is willing to forgive you for all you have done and restore you to a complete person.  Church, God loves you but you know that already, God wants you to place Him first in your life in all areas so that you can once again present the holy command of Jesus to the dying world.  Just think about what would be going on in our world today if the Church was doing what she was commissioned to do, in complete given authority.  Presenting the true gospel salvation through Jesus enables the lost to understand their purpose that God has for their lives.  Want to solve the problems of the world and delay this nation’s complete destruction and scattering?  Separate yourself from the world, turn back to God now, repent Church seek out the lost plant the Word of Salvation in their hearts and watch what God will do.  For God cannot work with an embolden worldly church but He can sure operate through a set apart Church.

DLB

Signing Day

Signing Day

4/26/16

Most of us have “signed on the dotted line” to do something, whether it is for a sports team, a quilting club, credit card, bank account, or a marriage certificate.  Most of us have taken these signings serious and have given it our all while participating in the specific activity or project.  However, not everyone continues to follow the course until its completion and they lose their way at some point along the journey.  It is this condition that this nation and the Church find themselves living in today.  God is calling us to return to His standards and allow Him to restore our lives to His fold, for the letter that He signed for us contains His blood and has eternal markings.

There are a few documents that I have placed my signature on that have had great meaning in my life.  For the most part, I have never really thought about all of the documents that I have put my name on, nor have I considered much the importance of this placement of my name either.  But as I have pondered this subject for a bit I have come to the realization that even though I have agreed to play little league baseball and have signed my marriage license both of these signatures of mine have a direct meaning to a level of commitment that cannot be taken lightly.  There is a reason that organizations, groups and other institutions require a signature of the people that are going to represent it but for some reason, many of the signatures that are placed on these documents are never entreated with total conviction.

As stated above there have been some documents that I have signed over my lifetime that I did not take serious enough and after all that was said and done, my lackadaisical attitude towards those signatures took their toll on my life; with some of these tolls still being transcribed in my life today.  I now value my signature on documents and receipts and I just do not place my signature on every little title without fully understanding what might be at stake and the risks that I am taking, little or large my signature has future implications that can do me harm or protect me in the future.

Years before the Declaration of Independence was formally signed, personal signatures of that document were already being penned in the hearts of those who desired freedom from their current situation.  Book after book presents us with the fact that the majority of these men and women prayed to God for answers to their cries, and that they did not take lightly the seriousness of the actions that they intended.  Every way possible was forged before engaging in an ugly and bloody situation that would be endured through the actual bloodshed of the heart and veins.  The revolution of this country is unique in several ways with the freedom of worshiping God being one of them.  The unique setting of our nation lies at our roots when the first people to set foot on these shores listened to the call for a refuge for everyone who wanted to worship God freely.  It was this truth that set our nation afloat in a chaotic and humanistic world, one that would stand out from the rest without remorse.

The beginnings of this country are deeply rooted in controversy and the ideas that she represents follow along those lines today. The founding fathers of this nation – all the way back to John Smith and his party – have ultimately made a stand against the rulers of their past governments and took an oath of allegiance to form a new way of life.  The founding fathers of this nation, the ones who birthed and forged the formal constituents, also represented a legal decree of their independence from their ruling government as well.  For these two settings, God and all of His encompassment played a gigantic role in these struggles for freedoms that were desired by hungry people.

When the founding fathers of this country finally had enough of the ruling tyranny of the British government, they began a movement of independence that would one day prove to be the shining glory for future personal and national revolutions and movements.  What many of us in the present day may not comprehend is what these people’s actions meant to the rest of the world, along with how their actions set a timely precedence for our world today.  We may ignore that these men and women placed their lives on the line in order to provide a better life for their families and descendants that followed them and we may ignore the fact that their signatures on documents placed marks on their heads for rewards for their deaths.  The men and women who fought for the freedoms of this country had bounties placed on their lives yet they boldly moved from place to place producing the foundation of an established nation that the world has never witnessed before.  These people knew exactly what it meant when they placed their names on these documents and while their hands were shaking as they scratched out their names onto paper, they did so with proud steps and fearful hearts and complete trust in God.

It was the signatures to the most important document of their time that led to this bounty for their lives.  It was a choice of freedom that these men and women pondered and argued over for months before coming to a conclusion.  Their cohesiveness through painful gains together molded what this country has stood for ever since its humble beginnings back in the early 1600s. Their drive for freedom gave them the presence of mind to enable such courage in their constituents to stand up for their freedom from governmental overhangs both in the personal levels and national levels.  God was the center of all engagements no matter what types of beliefs were present in each battle, all worked together to ensure that freedom rang for those who wanted it the most.  In our country’s history, we read that some of these people were reluctant to sign documents and others flat out refused to participate on any level of independence but the majority of those who desired true freedom boldly took the oath of freedom that we know today.

Many centuries before the establishment of this great country, another revolution and death warrant signature party took place, and while the stakes were similar in structure these odds included an eternal basis also.  There should be no question that Jesus’ life here on earth represents the greatest death warrant for all humanity.  For those of you, that believe that Jesus’ life was a cake walk and one that just spread flowers and goodwill around to the crowds around Him, need to know that you have been fooled enough that you probably can no longer grasp the truth and concept that He represented the war for your eternal existence.  Yes, war!  Nothing less than war and everything that war represents is included in His existence here on earth and it was through this example that 12 men signed their death warrants with the world when they chose to become His disciples.

You want an interesting story to read, read about when Jesus called each one of the disciples to follow Him; then keeping that information in your forebrain, think back to the portions of our revolution that coincide with this setting.  One will see that there are many similarities to both stories which may enlighten you to comprehend what is at stake here and just how important our choices are when it comes to our lives and we are presented to the world.  Not all of the disciples were willing just to drop all of their duties, walk away and follow some dude that claims to have the answers that they are seeking.  But, in order for us to understand what is going on we must recognize that Jesus knew each one of their hearts first and then chose them one by one according to what was in their hearts.

While Jesus represents the ultimate blood signature for all of our existence, His life is not the focal point of this article, that subject is reserved for you and it is you that God wants to speak to and to share with you the importance of the battle that is being waged for your eternal placement.  When the disciples agreed to walk with Jesus you know that they continued to have doubts about their decisions.  They were humans they had the exact same thought processes as we do today.  Their bodies operated in the same manner as we do today.  Besides the modern technological advances of today, there are no differences from either the disciples or our lives.  Jesus spoke to His disciples on a constant basis and God wishes to speak to you on a constant basis as well as long as we are willing to listen on the other end.

There is no question that the friends and families of the 12 men that Jesus chose to call His disciples had a hard time figuring out how to respond to their decisions.  These men gave up their professions to join a rag-tag group of men that came from scattered backgrounds.  While some of the men were related, others had no clue about anyone else in the group, yet they quickly found out that their lives and newly commissioned mission were going to be totally different than anything they had ever been involved in before. People began to stare at them and talk about them as they passed by on the roads.  Some people turned their backs on them and shunned them from societal settings all because they now believed differently than previous. 

According to the general population, the person that these men now associated with felt compelled to go against the establishment that governed their everyday lives which could only promote trouble and grief for everyone, all according to the people involved.  However, what these people were chatting about was true, Jesus did come to the earth to shake things up and to teach the world why God loved us enough to send His only Son to die for us so that we may once again have direct communication with Him.  THIS IS THE REASON THAT WE ARE IN A WAR!!  It is through this act from God and choice of Christ that serves as the foundation of our existence; yes, including the human presence in the Garden of Eden.

These men, when they chose to walk with Jesus, effectively signed their lives away to the world and thus created a death warrant for their heads.  Our enemy understands exactly what Jesus’ presence meant for our lives, he also understands that as long as you are walking on this earth you have the potential of advancing the truth about life itself and what lies beyond our physical existence.  The 12 disciples were direct representatives of the Church after Jesus left the planet and when one studies the lives of the disciples after Jesus’ resurrection, it is easy to tell that they had personal bullseyes on their heads.  Each woman and man that followed the life and words of Jesus fell into this category as well, for while these people were not considered to be the “12 disciples”, they were indeed disciples of Christ and thus subject to identical consequences as if they were.  As it was during the temptation of Christ in the desert, we must always remember that when we combat the enemy and his kingdom, anger shall always ensue.

The disciples were now marked by the enemy and through societal means, his revenge for their signatures for Christ was enabled.  Not one of the twelve escaped persecution and most of them died at the hands of those who opposed their words of true life.  The people that continued the faith and truth of Christ suffered immensely just as the founding fathers of this nation did millennia later.  So, how has this pattern continued into our paths today?  I am glad you asked this because this pattern has taken a turn for the worse and has mutated into a sickening death trap of our own accord.  It is an 180-degree turn that is almost completed and one that if completed shall render our lives at the mercy of the Creator Himself.

God wants to know that first and foremost He loves us with all of His heart.  God also wants us to know that He adores our existence and there is no greater feeling that He can harbor when we choose to accept His ways for our lives.  God understands that there is a fight for our eternal lives and that it is of direst state that we come to grips with this truth and the importance of this truth.  God understands that when a person goes against the kingdom of the world blood shall be shed because of the nature of what is at stake.  God wants us to know that in every circumstance He is willing to be an active participant in the trials and troubles that we face and God wants us to understand that if we truly call on His name He is faithful and just to walk right beside us during these times.

The men that chose to follow Jesus and signed their names to His presence created a signing day like no other.  Both the physical and eternal were represented there when they agreed to join Jesus’ journey.  Our lives represent the exact same signing day when we accept Christ as our savior as well; there is no difference at all.  The world wishes nothing but death on your life for it can offer nothing else but such a result.  The kingdom of this world has the home field advantage and it is we who are not suppose to become intermingled with it, for we were created to be separate from the world.  The world enslaves you for it does not possess the authority to free anyone from any situation.

Many of the founding fathers had money or easy lives before the revolution began.  Some had enormous plantations, some were merchants and others lawyers.  All respectable positions that may or may not have been deemed controversial but all of them had one thing in common once they signed that document with their hearts, a death warrant.  The disciples lived almost in identical conditions but while many of the founding fathers escaped death the disciples were not as lucky.  Today, we are witnessing similar conditions when people stand up for God and His ways.  This pattern shall only continue and grow worse unless the Church wakes up and starts completing her mission once again.

There is an important detail that we need to remember here and it is a detail that our enemy recognizes each and every second of our lives.  Our lives was bought for a price, a price so precious that none of us can really understand with our limited minds, but it is through this price that our lives are given their foundation and it is this price that the war rages.  Whatever we sign our names to and whatever we sign our hearts to is recorded down in the heart of God and in the mind of Satan.  It is our signature that drives kingdoms and it is through our signature that advances the chosen kingdom.  Signing day is at hand and some of us have already dotted the “I’s” and crossed the “T’s” but so many have not made that choice yet and it is those hearts that need to be reached.

DLB

What Solid Rock?

What Solid Rock?

4/19/16

Most of us understand that the composition of a rock is pretty much a solid; however, those same rocks may not always be uniform in shape and can present hazards when trying to stand upon.  The surfaces of rocks vary just as much as their shapes do which adds to the difficulty that humans have in accomplishing the overcoming of such rocks.  Jesus said He was the rock of our salvation and the firm foundation that we can stand upon at all times, especially when times of trouble surround us.  But what if we cannot recognize Him as this rock and choose to stand elsewhere?  What happens to our lives then when the enemy approaches and we find ourselves still searching? This should not be the case unless we have placed our hearts on a worldly Jesus and then do not understand what solid rock to stand upon.  There are many rocks and surfaces that seem sturdy enough for our acknowledgment, but there is only one true Rock that shall protect us in any storm we face.

Ever have a rock thrown at you?  How about as a car or truck passes you on the interstate and throws a rock at your windshield? All of us have had opportunities to throw rocks at someone else or to have ourselves as the target for such an opportunity.  The composition of rocks varies greatly but one thing they all have in common is that when they hit our bodies, those things hurt tremendously.  Most of the time throwing rocks at each other stems from a heated argument in which one side is trying to gain an advantage by assaulting the other side.  They are used as an effective weapon to distract or to hinder enemies for the moment and in some cases rocks are the sole defensive mechanism that can be utilized in emergency situations.

When we turn on the evening news and the newscaster switches to the ongoing situation in the Middle East, it does not take too long for our eyes to meet a scene of people throwing rocks at a target some distance away.  In war movies, a large rock is always a good barrier to hide behind for temporary protection from incoming ammunitions.  There are countless stories that describe rocks as being the main weapon in breaking down walls of a fortified city or palace.  In the medieval times, a frightful weapon that mankind developed was called the catapult.  It was a simple contraption that after considerable planning was set at a specific distance from the target, contained a measured and weighted boulder, then hurled through the air at the intended target and then hit the target with a great force.  The resulting collision tore walls completely down in a matter of a short time and provided the attacking forces a direct access to the interior of the city or palace.  This is only one type of usage for rocks for they have many other usages for both weaponry and defensive positions, with both providing solid foundations for the purposes at hand.

It is not difficult to understand that the composition of rocks would have some type of destructive force on the target hit, for most objects are softer than the rock or it would not be used as a weapon.  Think about it, a rock would not be able to be effective against an iron wall, nor would it be of any value if it was hurled towards a 10,000-foot high mountain.  However, if it was thrown with a great deal of velocity towards a human body, or a wooden wall when it struck such a target it would cause severe damage and soon render the target useless for any further purpose.  That is one reason why stoning of people was an effective and frightful way of punishing those who did wrong in ancient times; capital punishment at its finest.

We have a few examples of stones being used in the Bible for both offensive and defensive situations.  Most of the walls of cities and villages were made of stone for it was strong enough to withstand a certain amount of damage and still provide a fortifiable place for shelter.  David used stones to slay Goliath in an epic setting of God’s Kingdom versus Satan’s in the Old Testament.  And another example is that we see when Stephen was stoned to death for his beliefs and testament to those who needed Christ.  All of these examples and the others that we can use throughout biblical and secular history we can gather are significant usages of rocks for a number of reasons, so wouldn’t one think that the rock would be the perfect illustration that Jesus used to describe Himself and what it means to stand on Him for protection against our enemy?

It has been a traditional “pastime” for Christians to use the Word of God in their defensive stances against those who have questions or arguments about God’s authority over our existence.  While this is a great practice and one that needs to define our foundation against the wiles of our enemy we must ask ourselves if we really understand what it means to stand on the true rock of salvation that Jesus stated when He was walking this earth.  For if we do not believe that everything that occurred in the Old Testament directly points to Jesus’ conception, birth, life, death, and resurrection then our belief in the one and only True God is only a theory in our existence.  This truth can be easily demonstrated on how a person looks at the Old Testament and how they value its truth and meanings, for if they do not believe that it contains the ways and means of God then they cannot understand the truth about Jesus and His existence.  In other words, just reading the Bible and using it in this fashion will only provide a passing shade of color to impress those who are walking on the same street as you; slippery when wet.

It is this point that God wants us to understand about the claim that Jesus made concerning being the Rock of Salvation.  In all areas of our lives, we must demonstrate the separation from the world even though we must walk on its surface each and every day.  We must witness its harshness and cruelties that it loves to display on a second by second basis and be the light that shines brightly for those who are looking for a foundation to stand upon when all of these things become presented against their worlds. In order for us to completely accomplish this mission, we must fully comprehend what Jesus meant when He said He was the rock that can withstand all of these forces.

If we do not understand this solid foundation then it will be like using a scripture verse as a defensive argument but not knowing what that particular verse or passage truly means.  The enemy will quickly know if you understand the passage that you are using or not and once that knowledge is revealed, your fate is up for grabs if one does not know; on the other hand, if a person does understand the meaning of that passage or verse then our enemy cannot withstand the truth that comes from these words and thus have to flee because our enemy cannot penetrate the truth of the Word of God.  It is this truth and knowledge that Jesus made the statement that He is the rock of which one should stand in order to defeat the enemy.

One cannot obtain this knowledge about God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit unless they thoroughly and continuously study God’s Word.  Simply reading and skimming over the contents will not allow for a proper knowledge of God when the enemy strikes. Nor will be able to understand the events in the world around us when they occur; this is a spectacular example of why people are so “shocked” when terrorists and other events transpire because they do not fully understand God and what His Son means to our lives.  This also explains why no answers can be truly given as to why these types of disasters occur for the explanations that are given are shallow and in the end empty and only result in further distrust and frustration on all levels.

Many of you know that I grew up in the South and more specifically in the state of Texas.  That meant that I played sports and even though I was short I was expected to give it my 100% at all times, in order not to be killed by the bigger boys around me. This meant that I needed to do things bigger, faster and harder than what my body could muster, yet somehow I forced myself to complete this task.  As time when along and I began visiting doctors, all of them told me that I was not cut out to play those sports on a competitive level and that if I continued to do so my body would not be happy with me when I became an adult.  I ignored that advice and warning and continued to choose to abuse my body in this manner, and today just as they had warned me many times in my past my body reminds me of my vain efforts when I was younger.

It is this type of example that we find when we study the habits and lives of the people in the Old Testament Scriptures.  It is through their activities that God had to say hold on a bit here, you are not doing things according to My laws, and if you do not change your ways some pretty nasty things will come your way.  Of course, that is a general paraphrase but the idea and truths are concurrent with what God had to demonstrate all throughout the Old Testament.  Humans did not stop there and they continued to display ridiculous habits and ways in the New Testament as well, in which God once again had to display certain portions of His existence that do not favor mankind very well.  NO, God did not force any of these people, nations, or kingdoms to serve Him all of the consequences of these peoples were of their own accord.  They had no clue about God, His ways, Jesus, or His ways or what they both meant to the peoples’ lives.

This is where the Church comes into the picture and how our deliberate ignorance to Jesus and what He means to our existence today.  If we do not have a thorough foundation of the ways and means of God in the Old Testament, NOT the ways and means of the Scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees, there is no way possible that we can understand what the true meaning of Jesus when He said He is the Rock of Salvation.  We may think we know but it is a guarantee that when things go “south” and turmoil rules our lives we will not have a clue of what to do or who to turn to.  Want proof?  Read the newspaper, watch the news, look outside your own personal windows and it will become crystal clear that this so-called “Christian” nation does not have a clue of how to properly and spiritually defend itself according to the biblical principles it is supposed to be built upon.  We are forcing God out of our lives instead of standing on His Word for our protection.

Take a few moments, it will not take long, and listen to all of the different humanoid answers that people are giving as possible solutions to the issues that we are dealing with today.  While the technological statuses of people are different today from that of ancient times, the social issues and controversial ideologies that humans lay as paths then are the exact same paths that we are walking today.  God never installs disorder or provides complicated answers to His people.  It is through the choices that we make that bring this type of disastrous living conditions into our being.  Just as God provided sound advice to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden He has done the exact same with the contents of His entire Word.  Clearly, the societies of today are crying out for help yet ignoring the One source that can provide them with peace, prosperity and true wisdom to overcome every circumstance that our enemy presents.

How can we believe that we fully and to the best of our ability understand what Jesus meant when He said that He was the rock of our salvation if we do not willingly, lovingly, and faithfully study every detail of God’s Word as the divine truth?  If Adam and Eve could be fooled while living in a perfect paradise, what makes us any better than them?  It has reached the point that we are once again throwing rocks at each other instead of standing on the rock and recognizing that it is our eternal enemy who is originating all of the chaos around us.  We are clearly demonstrating that we do NOT understand the meaning by which Jesus made concerning Him being the rock of salvation; while the most important portion of this meaning by far is the eternal aspects in which He was referring but His words also have a physical meaning as well and it has been proven over and over that if we do not understand what the horizontal issues are there is no way that we can understand the vertical answers that have been provided.

It is also clear that the Church has been fooled into believing that the world has the answers that she is proposing as sanctuary to all of the issues that bombard us each day.  Through the eyes that are watching it is evident that she is deaf and blind to Whom the rock of our salvation is also.  The rock of salvation that Jesus taught about was not meant to be a huge and almost impossible climb up to reach safety, but a solid place and easily accessible place to stand upon when the world lashes out against us.  When the Church does not fully recognize this concept it means that we have slipped into a dangerous place, one that is ripe with violence and due death.  Obviously, the Church does not even recognize what this true rock of salvation is nor can they even locate it because they have lost their spiritual vision of Christ and everything that He means to our lives.  The Church and God’s people do not wish to listen to the answers that God has provided for they interpret their own ways and means in what God says through His Word.

We have lost the principle that when we are standing on the rock of salvation (Jesus) the stones and rocks that the enemy throws at us cannot truly harm us in any way.  The methods of Satan’s kingdom come in a manner in which to harm our lives and he does this by throwing rocks towards our spiritual bodies and as long as we know where the rock of salvation is located and we climb on its surface, Satan and all of his warriors can throw as many rocks our way that he wishes and his kingdom methods shall fall to the side 100% of the time.  As long as we understand what the Kingdom of God is and how our actions represent God’s Kingdom, then we are standing on the rock of salvation and know what its true meaning represents. 

We have fallen into the same type of setting as Adam and Eve in which they had forgotten that their stance and presence was created by God in through their placement in the Garden of Eden represented the divine protection that they needed to survive intact.  For us, we have done the same since we have taken it upon ourselves to find the answers according to human randomness and logic.  As Adam and Eve became disillusioned with the ways of God, so have we and have furthered our digression away from the true rock of salvation.  In both examples, we have lost the truth at when standing under god’s protection (the Garden of Eden and now Jesus’ blood) we are automatically advancing the Kingdom of God and not Satan’s.

It is dangerous for us to assume that we know everything about God’s Word, for when we have this belief our enemy shall find a way to hit us with a rock that penetrates our defenses.  In no way imaginable can we truly defend ourselves without a constant and wholeheartedly life study of God’s Word.  It is a constant and continual study and not one that should ever fade from our daily lives.  When we study God’s Word and apply every single letter to our lives there will be no problem in understanding the protection and truth behind the real Rock of Salvation nor will there be any problem knowing who our enemy is either.  When we understand the true concept of Jesus and what His rock status is, we shall not have to worry about any other type of foundation, for we can count on the perfect one to shield us as we take the fight to our enemy and we shall never have to ask this question: What solid rock?

DLB

Trust in God

Trust in God

17 April 2016

Is the title of this article a measurable process and do we have any examples of how our trust in God is perceived in the Bible? This process is a delicate one because it really professes our lives and how we really view God when things turn bad.  It is easy for us to say and to “have” trust in God when things are good, but what do we do and how do we act when things become hard? Our trust in God should originate from our hearts and not our heads and it is through this organ setting that defines our trust. God recognizes our lives from the heart level and even though our trust may falter a bit, He still delivers His truths abundantly.

There is a saying that I use sometimes that describes life and it goes like this: “sometimes life is a four letter word”.  When I use that phrase it is always in context to mean that some of our days will not be pleasant and trials will come along that test our courage and faith, not only in our existence but more importantly our trust in God.  This process is a common entity that many of us witness each day and due to all of the calamities that surround us it would be easy to lose our trust in God if we are not firmly planted in His foundation.  God never promised us an easy road through life once we accepted Him as our savior; in fact, the opposite is true that our lives would seem to be more difficult because we separated ourselves from the world.

Over the past few years, some stories have broken out that a few ministers and song artists have fallen away from their faith and have declared that there is no God and that if God did exist that He would be a “she”.  Some have become total and devout atheists with a few throwing agnosticism into the fray.  A founder of one of the popular Christian music groups recently declared that he was now an atheist because God had not quite lived up to what he expected Him to be.  A couple of years ago one of the more popular praise leaders in England came out as a lesbian and even though her worldly practice she still thrives in, she continues to lead worship in her church.  The State of the Church shall be addressed in a future article because God wants His children to know that we must be totally separate from the world in order to be a part of His Church and to understand what is transpiring around us at all times.  It is through this trust in God or lack of it that plays out each day in our personal lives and in our nations societies and it shall determine our destiny and our survival in due time.

One story that demonstrates our trust in God is an obvious one and that is from the book of Job.  It is this type of example that fits perfectly into line with how our societies today act and react to God, but in this topic things will be set up a bit different because there are actually two sides to the story of Job, one side that comes from Job and the other side that comes from his wife and through both sides of this story defines the issue of trust in God.  This article is designed to search your heart and to fervently ask God to show you exactly what your trust in Him really is.  It is this portion of our lives that will define us when things turn south and it will also set to light exactly what the foundation of the Church really is as well.  We must never forget that trust in God is a direct reflection of our relationship with God.

We all have read the story of Job and how God initiated the activities that turned job’s life around.  God has previously shared with us how Job’s family was taken from him on one dreadful day and all of his possessions were devoured by natural forces stimulated by Satan.  It is clear that the physical condition of Job became horrendous and every inch of his body became a host for pain and agony almost unimaginable.  As we read in Job Chapter 1 it is clear that Job lived an upright life before God and was blessed beyond measure.  In Chapter 2 of Job, we read that God and Satan have a conversation concerning the countenance of Job and if he would “stand the test” if all of his possessions were taken away.  This portion proves Satan’s fallacies and at the same time proves God to be all knowing especially when it comes to the heart of mankind.

Through Job’s own words he declares that God would not punish him for sins that were unknown, this is a true statement.  This statement reflects invigorating capacity of the human mind and heart to individually dig into the heart of God and see what is there for the sole purpose of understanding our creation and purpose for living.  This passage also states that through this action Job had every intention of understanding the relationship that God desired with him and through that relationship the understanding of his life. This was the condition of Job’s personal society that everyone who knew Job should have recognized and it is not difficult to accept that Job’s trust in God was complete, unadulterated and holy in all capacities of his existence.  It is difficult to imagine such a setting taking place to which we might have to ask ourselves this specific question but at the same time we must remember that God allowed things of this nature to occur once which mean He can do it again.

On the other side of the issue we have the wife of Job, besides Job the sole surviving portion of Job’s life and dominion after the utter devastation.  God has also shared with us why Job’s wife was spared and that Satan could not touch her and the reasons why she was off limits to the wrath and length of his chain.  Her response to the horrific catastrophes was a tad different from Job’s in that after all that had occurred she wanted Job to just curse God and die, thus giving up and not following through with God’s purpose for Job’s life.  

What type of example would Job be if he had adhered to this type of belief and a more important question is: how many people would justify taking their own lives from the world in the name of Job?  God did not make our wills to falter when times are tough but to be defined through these tests that appear before our eyes.  Job’s wife proves a valid point because all of us have had her thoughts run through our minds and hearts at some point in time; why not just give up and die for everything that we have built up has been destroyed and all-purpose defeated.  But this is where God expects us to trust Him and to rely upon the relationship that we have with Him and through this relationship, our trust in Him should not waiver for all has been accounted for and noticed by God.

There is no question that the devastation that Job and his wife faced were of utter proportion but at the same time some of us can easily understand this situation because of personal experience but most of us fall into the category of “sight-seeing” when news of this type of settings cross our airwaves.  The question concerning Job’s wife is: where was her trust?  She knew about God and she knew His ways and blessings because Job was very vocal about his relationship with God, so she was privy to her husband’s knowledge.  This is a clear demonstration that Job and his wife did not see eye to eye on some issues and when the time came that tests arrived, the differences that she harbored was according to her trust in God; as was Job’s.  Can you think of other times in the Bible when spouses did not share the same views at their mates?  Adam and Eve quickly come to mind and Moses’ wife is another example as well.  How about loved ones in your family?

How does the trust in God or the lack thereof concerning Job’s wife have anything to do with our society and the state of the Church today?  It is through the statement of Job’s wife that we can conclude that her trust in God had not been up to the same level as Job, this does not make her any less valuable or important but it does place her into a category of relationship with God. We know that after everything was said and done that God restored Job his land, animals, finances, and even children far greater than before disaster struck.  This should speak volumes to our hearts because we must think about what would have occurred if Job had taken the advice of his wife and not completely trusted in God.

I do not wish to condemn Job’s wife on any measure for it took guts to live through the aftermath that both her and her husband endured but both of these individual’s actions should tell us something about how our trust lies in God or that our trust lies in our surroundings.  From all indications, the Job family lived in great wealth and that they had worked very hard at all of the things that God blessed them with, and for the most part we can gather that there was an easy feeling about life up until the horrors struck their family.  It is at this point in time when the true heart shows itself and the true beliefs of such a heart shine through.  There is no question that Job and his wife discussed countless things over their time together and from Job’s reaction to his wife’s statement to him, he was not surprised at all.

As a spouse, it is difficult to go against your other half but it is in these times that these two people stuck together and did not waiver from their covenant.  It must have been devastating for Job’s wife to make those comments to him and to God, but even with the doubt appearing verbally God still had a plan for their lives. If Job had listened to his wife’s argument and had thrown in the towel, they would not have been able to witness the fulfillment of God’s restoration plan He had for their lives.  We as a society today would not have a prime example of how we need to have complete and total trust in our Creator no matter what comes our way for God is a restoration God and even when our lives seem the darkest, He always provides a way for us to be restored according to His glory and riches.  If Job had listened to his wife then Satan would have been correct about the situation and God would have been wrong.  Can you imagine God being wrong?  If God was wrong on ANY level, Satan would have the legal authority to claim his position back that he had in heaven.  Saying that, this story of Job and his wife says a lot about God and the family unit; no wonder Satan goes after personal dominions.

Which brings us back to the question: what type of reaction would this society have if God allowed such a devastating toll to be taken upon our lives?  At one point in our society’s past, God was a firm foundation of this land.  Yes, there were many mistakes made and yes, many lives hurt during those mistakes.  However, God continued to pour out His blessings on this land in hopes that we would recognize our sinful and hurtful ways and to repent from them and to allow Him to renew our dominion as it was first established with John Smith.  But, God has called us out and we have arrogantly turned away with wicked tongue and evil heart.  In essence, we have already made our choice and are now fulfilling Job’s wife’s placement of curse God and die.

If our hearts continue in this manner we shall unfold a burden on this society like none has ever been witnessed in the history of mankind.  For a country who basically has a church building on every street corner we know nothing about God and His Word, nor do we care to dive into the truth deep enough to understand the path that we are walking.  There is no way possible for any of us to go through this life unscathed, but when we purposefully push God aside and shove His ways out of our existence we cannot help but to expect some type of taking back from His holy place.  We cannot hide the fact that we have taken our trust in God and have placed it in earthly treasures.  We are following in the footsteps of the children of Israel and just as they experienced, at some point in our timeline God is going to say, enough.

It is evident that Israel believed that God would never destroy their land because of their divine “status” in His eyes; they were sorely and grievously mistaken.  It is also evident that Israel never was again the mighty nation among their enemies for they were held in captive for centuries and their name be run roughshod by everyone that wished.  God allowed this to occur to His beloved nation so why would He not allow something similar to occur in our society?  Israel sold their position in God to the world through their own choices and we are following their example almost identically.  Israel chose to listen and to take the advice of Job’s wife and not that of Job.  They missed out on all of the restoration processes that God had for them and STILL has for them.  Our society shall miss out on these blessings as well unless we turn from our wicked ways and to follow God once again.

I want to have the trust in God as Job did and I want nothing less for my family as well.  I do not wish to witness great waves of destruction cover our shores or for our ground to open up and flood our lands with destruction.  I do not wish for our society to be in such a weakened position that our enemies find our presence as easy prey and are allowed to cut off our head to completely end our dominative existence.  But as of this moment, I cannot foresee anything else coming to pass for we have no desire to advance God’s Kingdom any longer.  I pray that we open our eyes to God before it is too late but in all sadness I believe that we shall continue to focus on the world and not even understand the true meaning as to why our land has been defeated.

Prove me wrong!  Church, turn from your evil ways and once again advance God’s Kingdom with your presence in the world.  God is calling out to a dying world and we need to heed His call and shine His light to everyone who is hungry and thirsty for peace, hope, honesty, and true life.  Only our trust in God can prove to the world that God is worth trusting in and that when one does all things come to an agreement.  Let us live the faith and trust in God that Job did and if we have trust in this capacity, God guarantees that we will see a total restoration process that will blow our hearts.

DLB

The Golf Course Church

The Golf Course Church

4/9/16

What type of lifestyles do people think are represented on a golf course and what do these representations offer to the majority of the other people around them?  Golf courses stand out even from the plush and posh surroundings that they lie amongst yet even in these perfect settings many of the courses and the people who frequent them are out of touch with what is going on around their environment.  Inclusions and inductions into these courses are typically suggested and tried but in the end, the majority invited still remain outside for various reasons, mainly because these see blind similarities projected from the heart of the courses.  The Church has built herself up according to these standards and she is reflective of this type of setting which makes her blind to her mission, her Groom and the impending disaster that must accompany this choice of hers.  Make no mistake, God is still in the restoration business, but if one does not recognize the failure, how can the correction be made?

I remember a long time ago when I was granted the privilege of traveling to Africa with my dad, brother and a large group of other people to Africa.  It was for a week’s long trip and it proved to be one of the most eye-opening experiences in my life.  I wish that I could state that my heart was in the right place while I was there in that beautiful country for if it was I probably would have learned so much more of what God wanted to show me than what I allowed Him.  See, my eyes were still in the blinded stage and through my attitude that I allowed to be present clearly shadowed my experience, so much so that God had to do some pretty deep cutting in order for me to open my heart to what He was trying to get me to understand.  Even to this day, God is still showing me things about that trip back in 1997 and it is amazing to me of how He still teaches me valuable truths about His people from an event I attended so long ago.  I guess that is why I can honestly say and to proclaim to the world that while the Bible was written millennia ago, it is still the most relevant text for our lives in 2016 and beyond for it reads as a story of each one of us.

The country of Cote d’Ivoire, or Ivory Coast as most people associate it as is a country that has been through its portion of trials and tribulations.  France was its colonizer for decades and of course, the slave trade affected the lives of countless Ivorians some centuries before; then, you throw in the numerous warlord chiefs and dictators and you have the perfect recipe for a country wrapped in control and poverty.  It is obvious that when you take a personal glimpse around this country one quickly notices that the poverty issues still grip the countryside and unless things take a drastic change, this type of status will not change anytime soon.  I have mentioned before about my stay at the luxurious hotel in the small village of Yamoussoukro that had a magnificent golf course on one side of the hotel grounds.

In a country that is literally dying each day due to the untapped resources and scratching off of heads that wish to purify the land by those who desire only power, money and control, and a championship style golf course in the middle of this village is an absurdity.  While elaborate mosques, churches, and educational centers were constructed no one had the means to which attend these provisions.  The Catholic Basilica at that time was the 2^nd largest in the world and could hold over 100,000 people for a service if necessary; an average of fewer than 100 people attend each Sunday.  When the truth was told, all of these buildings and structures were created and built by a man who strictly wanted to suffice his own standard within his hometown; what a selfish reason to establish such a testament, to appeal to servants for votes and control.

I was witness to many things from God during those few days that I was in Yamoussoukro and I would not trade them for anything.  As my group stood and sat around me during the services, I watched demons manifest themselves while speakers from around the world spoke about the advancement of the Kingdom of God.  I had the opportunity to hear people praying to God in languages that I did not understand and to stand in awe as I knew in my heart that while I did not understand their prayers God had full knowledge of what they were saying.  It was an experience that still floats around my heart so many years later and one that I refer to when I wish to understand the Kingdom better.

With all the luxurious buildings that lined the paved streets of that small village, I could not help but recognize the grandeur of these empty buildings.  Even the buildings that were not considered to be for religious purposes laid dormant for the majority of the year, waiting for some group or representative to turn the lights on for some type of benefit.  The enormous United Nations buildings were only used a few days a year and even the magnificent four-lane roads abruptly ended at a certain point in the jungle.  At that moment, I had no inkling that this setting accurately describes how the Church functions and what the inside of the Church looks like to God.  We have focused so much on our outside appearance that we totally neglected the contents of what really fuels the Church, our hearts.

Even though we did not eat every one of our meals up in the fancy restaurant on the top floor of the hotel each night, the occasions in which we did seemed fascinating to me, the surrounding area and surrounding atmosphere being the most.  Being a pastor’s kid we were never rich enough to dine in these types of settings every week but I was not totally unfamiliar with what transpired in these dining atmospheres.  I have to admit that it did seem a bit odd for us to be eating in a place of this magnitude when the area itself was so abundantly impoverished.  At one of the few meals we ate in this upper restaurant I took a quick stroll around the entire floor just to look out and to observe the whole view.  While one side of the windows projected a serene setting with other soundly structured buildings the other side of the restaurant I could see the reality of the area with the red dirt roads leading to a dead end and the minuscule wooden shacks that the people of this small village called home.  The contrast was striking and it is these two views of mine that set the tone for this message from God.

The golf course naturally caught my eye because it was easy and pleasant to look at while the leaf huts and cardboard shanties were not because they reinforced the concepts that had been placed into my mind concerning Africa, stereotypically of course.  As I took the time to watch the workers mowing the golf course and how long it took them to complete such a task I really did not see too much difference in that process there than what I had observed here in the states.  The amount of the equipment on the grounds roughly corresponded with the number of workers present.  When I looked towards the “normal” areas of the village I could not imagine any of these people being able to afford their next meal much less paying for a round or golf, yet the course was less than ¼ mile from their places of inhabitance.  Like I have stated at that time my eyes were shut to what was God was trying to get me to see, and now that He has allowed me to understand what is ongoing, the comparison is almost overwhelming to my spirit. 

It does not matter where a golf course is located it will always stand out from its surroundings.  Golf courses are located in all types of climates and environments, from the middle of cities to the deserts and each one of them possess their own signature to attract people to play its course.  Some are lined with trees, some have many ponds surrounding each hole and there are even some that are located on the side of a mountain, it does not matter each has its own tempting lure about it that many cannot resist.  Stop and think for a moment about today's churches, and if one really wishes to be honest, the same type of settings are present amongst the church community of today which places it in the church categories instead of the Church category.  There is no way Jesus wanted His Church to be so irreversibly divided that she becomes ineffective in her mission, yet through human absurdities, we have made her just that.

The hotels, restaurants, churches and convention centers were not built for the common people, but as instruments of attraction to those who were deemed necessary to attend.  There was no reverence concerning the confines of that village and indeed the buildings present were magnificent they had no meaning to the real people that lived there.  I would give anything to return back to that moment in my life and to readdress the conditions of the people and to understand what God was showing me about the Church in general, it has almost been twenty years since that date my heart grieves for being so blind to what was around me.  God was actually showing the condition and the state of the heart of His Church to me and I completely missed it.  What is so eye opening now is that the people in that country represent more of a thriving Church than our own developed settings and it is painful to my heart to understand this truth today.

The convention that was on going in the soccer stadium and United Nations center was phenomenal, the teaching and preaching on spiritual warfare and how to develop God-centered churches was quite striking.  People from all over the world who had a heart for God who spoke many different languages all came together in one setting to learn about God and how to project His name to the dying world.  There were no labels being placed on people nor were there any people rejected for how they appeared when they arrived.  I was in awe when I watched a group of women literally change a woman’s appearance right before everyone’s eyes when she came forward to receive Jesus as her Savior. I later found out that she was a prostitute and was ready to commit suicide but yielded to God before she took that step.  She changed!  She did not remain the same after she came to God and the ladies of that convention helped her in every aspect of her life, inside and outside.  These ladies did not represent any type of religious golf course at all, but one of true repentance and restoration.

A golf course church will only understand and willingly participate in a surface few of truths instead of divulging themselves in the entire Word of God.  A golf course church will only allow certain issues to be addressed while attendees sip on coffee and eat donuts while the sermon is being presented.  A golf course church will shun those who have a heart for God and question the earthly order that is being presented as truth, salvation, and restoration.  The exterior of the golf course church will be magnificent in appearance but stink to high heaven on the spiritual level (interior) because of the intermingling with the world.  These types of golf course churches are is exactly what our enemy desires for us to “thrive” in because he knows that once the world is incorporated into these walls our own human divisions will one day rise up and take control of the situation and completely destroy any potential that remains within the hearts of the Church.  The golf course church is established on fleshy appearances and therefore cannot dive deep into the Word of God for if it did her foundation would be totally annihilated, which is exactly what the Word of God is supposed to do to the world and its standards.

Jesus came to this world to establish His Church so that she can be completely separate from the world and function spiritually as a complete and intact dominion.  The purity of the Church is the willingness to separate herself from the world and not to conform to its frontiers.  She cannot abide by the laws of the world and expect God to bless her deeds on a continual and blinded manner.  How dare she try to manipulate God and His ways in order to bring in the finances of the world for she was created to be an identifiable difference from what the world offers, yet she voluntarily allowed the stench of death that the world can only offer and not the abundance of eternal life that only God can provide. 

Churches should never be even remotely considered as golf course material.  Instead, they should be as one warrior standing with her Creator to fight an eternal battle for every living spirit on this planet.  Church buildings represent battlefields, not pleasure parks.  If this truth is not recognized immediately and our hearts turned back to God now, the laws of this world will tear down the walls of these buildings and therefore, because we do not understand what the Church actually represents, tear down our means of existence as well.  The spirit world cares nothing about golf courses; however, our enemy loves it when we build these types of buildings because it will be easier for him to overtake them when the time comes for him to take possession of what we have allowed him to inhabit in the first place. 

This is a war, not a game!  Do you remember that the first Christians had no elaborate buildings to worship in?  Do you remember how tough it was and how dangerous it was when these brave souls mentioned in public the name of Jesus?  I can guarantee you that if we do not stop considering our buildings to be golf course churches and start to once again unite the Church, we will in time be driven back into our homes and have come full circle with the authority of what Jesus gave to her; and you thought the early Christians had it bad.  There is a definitive break in this circle if we choose God instead of the world. 

God is calling for His Church to repent and to return back to His ways.  God cannot protect our sins and cover them if we continue to live in them willingly.  The Church is the biggest offender of this truth and she needs to repent now.  She should stop all the backbiting and bury herself into the Word of God and begin to understand what is at stake.  God love you, this is a truth but to love someone there must be obedience first!  Do not get me wrong, I like the sport of golf and I like to stroll a course every once-in-a-while but it is not my life and it is not how I can represent God to the ones who need Him.  God calls us to be rich in Him and not of the world and we must NEVER forget that there are two kingdoms that are at war for your eternal placement and it is our choice to choose one of these kingdoms for we cannot serve two masters.  It is time for us to be honest and to give up our games with our eternity.

DLB