Memorial Day

Memorial Day

5/29/16

Serving your country is a huge honor and an even larger responsibility that should never be taken for granted.  The remembrance of these past and present warriors also should never part from our memories, especially the ones that have fallen in battle to protect not only our country’s freedom but for the other countries who share the same ideas and goals.  While no one ever contends war is necessary we must understand that sometimes war is inevitable and must be fought, so the definition of a just war is almost always up in the air for evaluation.  But do we continually place the lost of these wars in our forebrains and voluntarily remember why they fell and what they were fighting for?

The fact that the majority of the younger people in this country believe that Memorial Day is strictly the time of year that marks the beginning of Summer with a grand opening of BBQs, parties, sun and fun all the while not knowing the real meaning of why the holiday was created, celebrated and remembered.  Yes, Memorial Day usually means that the end of the school year and when families have more time to themselves for fun and relaxation and even though this type of activity is supported and should be contributed to, we must never forget the men and women who died to ensure this country’s freedom from tyranny.  But in truth, we force ourselves to wonder if we really understand what transpired when every drop of blood hit the ground when soldiers were insulted with weaponry, it was a terrible price for this majestic setting we currently live and thrive in.

Another fact of today’s societies is that we place so much focus on what we want and how we are going to obtain it.  There are so many poor examples of people who do not wish to work for anything but simple demand a handout of products that someone else has earned.  Sharing is now a command and no longer a gift from the heart which the world tries to sell as an equality statement.  Once again, these things look teasingly good to the eye but undermine the core values of life itself and thus render the truth and origins of Memorial Day useless, which brings me to the truth about Memorial Day and how it really should be a holy day as well.  No, I am NOT advocating for it to be a religious holiday but on the other hand, it should be kept holy in our hearts because it directly relates to what Jesus did for us while He was on this earth.

Many of us love to make comparisons of Jesus’ life to ours, especially the portion of His life when He walked the earth and was performing miracles on a daily basis.  This portion of Jesus’ life is very important and should be continually remembered but in truth, it was not the most important thing that Jesus did for us.  He set a great example for us to follow while we draw breath on this earth but it was His sacrifice that He gave on the cross that provided the absolute supreme offering that God could give to mankind and it is through this process that we should be remembering at all times as we celebrate Memorial Day.

When we place our thoughts and tender our faith on an alive Jesus only, we are limiting the truth of what His mission actually was on this earth.  Nor, should we focus our faith on a dead Jesus either but when we place our hearts and trust on a complete Jesus, the One who was born, alive, died and rose again we must contend that the Memorial Day holiday fits His life perfectly.  Focusing on one portion of Jesus’ life is like having BBQs, parties and the fun and sun portion of the Memorial Day holiday and then ignoring the truth about the most important aspect of how people died to sustain the possibility of whole freedom.  Jesus provided the exact same freedom through the death of His life as the supreme sacrifice for our sins and it is this portion of His life that we need to regain and to replace in our forebrains.

Jesus’ existence here on earth could not have been complete if He did not have the destination of death and then resurrection.  It is through all of these processes that make His life a complete and living mission for everyone who wishes to live under His blood covering.  And as we have a tendency to forget our national holidays and their complete reasons as to their existence, we do the exact same thing when it comes to Jesus and the reason why He walked on this earth.  It is also through this dangerous concept that we allow our enemies to take advantage of our history and then dictate how we react to such present and future insults from them.  Oh, boy when God puts things on this level it drives our hearts to our knees for we can honestly say that we place ourselves into the same category when our spiritual enemy deceives us in the same manner about Jesus. 

To put it into perspective and how important it is to God of remembrance and completeness, we have a great example in the Old Testament concerning this matter.  It deals with the Temple and how the separation between God and mankind was exemplified each day of Israel’s existence.  God did not want this setting to occur nor did He wish it ever into existence in the first place, His first setting after the creation of mankind was one of beauty and level ground where He and His prized creations could converse on a regular basis.  But through our sinful desires, we cause this division and separation which stood in contention as physical and spiritual law.  God wanted His children to understand this division and to know that through the process of sacrifice that Covenant was established and represented the beginning of restoration between God and mankind.

But as time progressed, the practice of sacrifice became a religious effort instead of the recognition of relationship and thus progressed into a partial adherence and a ritual process without any heartfelt truth involved.  It is a true testimony of God’s love and patience for He understood the hearts of His people yet honored their steps of religious sacrifice, up until a certain point of course.  This is the great example that we have to compare how we recognize certain holidays yet forget about their true and complete meanings, and it is through this partial recognition that the Church has lived her life in the service of God. 

There is NO WAY POSSIBLE that we can tell the world about Jesus and what He did for our eternal placement if we do not recognize and live according to His complete existence.  The Church has adopted the relaxed and welfare mentality when it comes to Jesus and what His life meant here on earth.  We have picked His ministry apart for our own choosing to justify our lifestyles based on a biblical standard.  This “biblical” standard is a lie from the pit of hell and we have fallen for this lie 100%.  In other words, we have lost the heart’s desire to enter into the Holy of Holies and are satisfied with staying in the outer courtyard.

I just finished reading a cartoon on a social website that summed up this dilemma in two simple frames.  A father and son were out cooking on a grill and the son had a hot dog on his plate.  He asked his father this question: “How much did this cost?”  The father was looking at the boy when he was asking the question.  The second frame of the cartoon showed nothing but tombstones lined up in a military fashion and had no captions or words present.  It is this cartoon that sums up everything that God wants us to understand about this article’s topic.  If the boy was old enough to ask an intelligible question such as this, he should have been correctly taught as to how much hot dog cost, without referring to monetary conditions.  And if the Church had been doing her job this boy would have automatically known that Jesus’ blood did the exact same thing for our eternal salvation.

It is true that the extraordinary question that one is to ask is this: How much does all of this cost?  The answer to this question on the holiday side, along with the answer to the question on the spiritual side have the same answer, but the majority of the people fail to recognize the correct answer on both accounts.  For us to have everything that we know about today, literally hundreds of thousands of men and women have given their lives as the payment.  While Memorial Day has been traditionally known by different names and has not been around for every single conflict that our nation has fought in, the concept of remembrance of those who have fallen has been and should always be a direct connection in our hearts.  To be honest, one would even argue that if this type of holiday were to be voted on in the present day, its concept probably would not even make it out of a House subcommittee.

The sad truth is that the same situation would occur if someone wanted to present a bill giving God permission to officially exist within this country and what makes this truth hurt more is that the Church herself would refuse to participate on fear of standing up for God.  The Church has forgotten her mission and has deliberately left Jesus’ death out of the picture because it would require a separation from worldly standards and since she has fallen in lust for her serpent, she has no desire to hear the truth again.  If one has a heart after God and sees sin for what it is, then they shall understand the enticement of the serpent in the Garden of Eden and can easily recognize the same patterns being presented by him today.  It is through this portion of non-true remembrance that has caused so many hurts and devastation within the Church that she too places a false outward face that she shows the world.

Humanity has never completely understood the concept of war because we continue to replay its designs every year.  All of the biblical texts have a warlike theme as well and even the concepts of war are presented in the Old Testament.  The physical concerns of war probably will not go away anytime soon and if the truth be known, this concept shall only increase; simply because God’s Word is accurate on these measures.  If we could only truly grasp the truth about what war we should really be fighting there would be no need for inaccurate war speeches about human history.  If our hearts were focused more on God and how to keep His laws and Him first in our lives, He guarantees that physical wars would cease.  Physical wars send people to their eternal settings long before they should, which means that our enemy is having a field day with keeping our hearts from understanding exactly what the death of Jesus means.

We could end the debate on wars with one realization and truth, seek God first and place Him first in our lives.  If we place His Word and the study of His Word – without human interference – all physical wars would cease.  However, it is clear that the Gettysburg Address, MLK speeches, Eisenhower’s 6/6/44 decree to the troops and to the world shall continue because we refuse to understand what God intended for our human mission.  It is also clear that God’s hands and feet are not working either, for her body has been enticed by the world that can only offer such warlike chaos. 

So, since it looks like we will continue to push God out of our societies, it will be safe to guess that the wars shall continue and the number of people who die in conflicts shall also continue to rise on a daily basis.  We say we want peace and to end all suffering of humanity while rejecting the only option that can really end these indecencies; from this action, it is a reality that we have really forgotten what this holiday means and why it was established.  It pains me to know that our country, as with many other countries around the world, have adopted such a holiday or ones with similar settings such as Memorial Day for the purpose of remembering the sacrifices of their countrymen and countrywomen, but as my heart continues to witness physical death from soldiers, it grieves my heart for these who have fallen. 

I can only pray that our nation may one day turn back to God and have a true fighting chance of ending world hatred for their fellow mankind.  As a testament to God’s Word, this setting shall NEVER come to pass as long as the Church is in her continual way of accepting world policies and along with her failure to recognize and understand the true convictions, origins, and dominion of this country our nation is inching closer to the edge of life.  I also pray that the Church shall once again come to terms and to the realization of exactly what Jesus’ life and death meant for our eternal freedom.  The sacrifice of God’s Son exemplifies the true meaning of the spiritual “memorial day” and one that should never come in any place other than first in our lives.

On the origins of the holiday of Memorial Day I have never been too fond about, but I am sure glad that there were brave men and women who answered the call to fight for what we have today.  I totally respect each and every one of them who paid the ultimate price for their volunteer status and I shall defend their actions until the day I draw my last breath.  While I do not like this holiday, I shall always celebrate its meaning and teach my children and grandchildren the ethics and truth behind its creation, establishment, and memory.  In no way am i saying that families and friends should not come together and have a great time during this time of holiday, but in order for us to make the origins of this holiday ring true to the world, we cannot afford to forget those who died so that we can have this opportunity.

My teaching of God’s actions concerning His Son’s sacrifice to my children and grandchildren shall be even greater than that of my country’s for I know that the eternal calling is far greater than the physical.  And as my heart and body proudly stand in complete and honest remembrance of this country’s holiday I shall keep all of the men and women who died close to my heart.  And with greater pride so shall my spirit stand tall and proudly to proclaim to the world, both physical and spiritual, proclaim the real reason that Jesus came to this world and that I shall NEVER forget His sacrifice on that Memorial Day, nor shall I prostitute His blood and the meaning of what it gives through the price Jesus paid.  I humbly want to thank every veteran who gave their life for me and my family’s freedom.  I also want to especially thank Jesus, my Lord, and Savior for choosing to fulfill His mission by sacrificing His life for my eternal freedom.

DLB

Just A Flag?

Just A Flag?

5/24/16

This country has been presided over by numerous flags of the world, some of these symbols we agree with and some of them we do not and it is through this type of respect that our country thrives.  During each of these tenures, it has been concluded that all circumstances within the coverage of flags were not suitable for every lifestyle which is another freedom that this country was founded.  Probably the greatest portion of freedom that one can have is to have the presence of heart to change a flag when necessary and when never to surrender the truths that a flag represents.  One may ask why doesn’t the human heart understand that changing or tearing down of a flag in an angry or hateful manner will not bring unity to the people concerned but only further separate and divide those said people and that the only way that the human heart can change for the better and on a permanent level is through the supernatural power of God and His laws.  We can only complete this truth if we understand that some flags can be rendered insignificant and that there is one flag that can never be touched if a person or nation is to survive.

I remember when I was a kid us traveling to a place called Six Flags Over Texas which was a theme park in the general area of Dallas, Texas.  I was excited of course because I was going to a place that had many rides that would get me wet, twirl me around in different directions with different accompanying speeds, or jar me enough to give me a headache, sounds fun eh.  For the most part, a kid will enjoy these types of activities at a theme park while it needs to be noted that older kids and even adults like the softer and gentler side of these fun parks which is ok as well for this type of setting have multiple varieties of actions for all ages.  Whichever portion of the park one tends to gravitate towards is represents a choice whether for physical conditions or ones which come from the heart either of which represents the greatness of such opportunity.  The only problem today is that the majority of theme parks have been either closed or are about to close because of the financial obligations for those parks have become too tremendous to maintain.

Like most kids, as we were driving to the park my mind was wandering and wondering about this park and a thought came to me about why the park was given the name that it had. So, I asked my dad a question and it went something like this: Why is the park called Six Flags Over Texas?  It was then that my father gave me a short history lesson about  Texas and how it became a part of the United States.  Like the other portions of this country, Texas was not originally part of the USA, it had been under control and subjection to other nations before it won its independence from Mexico a long time ago.

Dad told me that Texas was not always known as the state of Texas or as the Republic of Texas but had different names because were ruled by six other nations before it became a part of the United States and it was through these other ruling nations (flags) that the certain person or group had decided to create a theme park and then chose its name as “Six Flags Over Texas” just to represent those six nations that once claimed Texas as their territory.  Being a young student, this explanation gave me a bit of knowledge about the park and Texas but I left it at that as soon as my eyes saw the park.  When we arrived at the parking lot and then parked the car, it took a bit to get into the gates because of the amount of people that were already present.  As we were approaching the gates, dad grabbed my attention and pointed out to me six flag poles that were located in the center of the receiving gates and he then told me that it was those flags that were waving in the air that represented the six nations that he was telling me about earlier in the car.

At that specific time, I had no idea what human activity had occurred in this part of our country before Texas became a part of our nation.  Being of that age there would have been no way that my mind ever understood the numerous nations and cultures that controlled the land, nor could I ever decipher both the good and the bad that came from these time periods.  Plus, there would be no way that I could understand all of the meanings each of those six flags on those poles had upon the land and the people that they flew over.  The only problem that would eventually present itself to me in the coming years was that like the majority of high school students and young people, history was of no interest of to me and the wasted amount of time that I was required to learn about these flags was completed with a passer-by status at best. 

One of my first experiences with flags and their meanings came into my life when I was in the 8^th grade and living in Cleveland, Texas.  It was 1981, most everyone knows that the Cold War was ongoing and at one of its highest points of tension during its entire existence with the boycotts of the 1980 Olympics in Russia and the Russian invasion of Afghanistan.  My interests in flags and the history and geography associated with flags had already peaked in my life and I wanted to obtain as many flags of the world as possible; this notion of mine eventually subsided and went dormant for a couple of decades until it was revived at a later time.

At the time, it was popular to rant, argue and make fun of other countries, especially ones that embraced Communism or Socialism.  I remember that some of my friends had struck up a conversation about the current situation that was transpiring between the Communist Bloc States and the West like we knew anything about it, and the subject of buying flags came up in our conversation.  Of course, the topic of the American flag was talked about and all of the pride we boys had for our country rose up when we were talking about placing as many as we could along our bedroom walls as possible.  However, the mood in the room changed and almost became silent when I suggested to the group that I wanted to place a USSR flag on my wall. 

The room and the group of my friends within it suddenly changed their tune and were no longer singing praises for the specific flag that I wished to place upon the wall.  A few colorful metaphors began to fly out of their mouths and the questions of “why” and “why would you want that on your wall” soon followed.  And when I tried to give them an answer they were not having any of my words because they did not care to hear the reasons as to why I wanted one of the USSR flags hanging in my room.  

It was not because I wished this country would convert to communism nor was it any idea in my head that I personally wanted to become communist but it was because I was interested in what the flag stood for and what the people who lived under this flag believed.  I wanted to learn more about this society, not to promote it or to join it, so that I would understand why these people were considered our enemies and why, if things lasted long enough, one day I might be sent to fight these people.  Yet, my friends did not wish to hear my explanation all they wanted to do was to call me names and to place a label on my life at that time, little did I know that this would be my first encounter concerning flags, everything that they represent and how differences can come into play even amongst friends.

I really did not fully understand what a flag meant to a nation and to its people until I served in the military and it was then that I knew that nations take great pride in their flags that were raised over their land long before I discovered America and that this trend was going to continue for a long time to come.  While the pride of a nation can be visibly recognized through a nation’s flag we must remember that not all of the population within that country will always approve of what the nation proves; however, one can contend that the majority of that nation does approve and will back the actions of their country accordingly.  There are still people living today that believe that the Russian invasion of Afghanistan was a necessary detail and served its purpose along with those who continue to believe in every action that their specific nation has taken over the course of their history. 

There are those still living today that believe WWII was a grotesque situation that while we were attacked, we should have kept our neutrality and prevented all of our boys from going overseas and not returning.  The same goes for the Korean War, The Vietnam War, and all the Gulf conflicts to date.  Each time one of these conflicts arose a flag was taken down and another one raised until all of the fighting in those conflicts ceased.  

To this day, a flag still represents a country or territory and for those who study flags or the countries that they fly over, many can be readily identified and immediately understand what is transpiring in that country when our eyes meet that flag.  Some of us like to rant about certain flags, what they represent and which peoples they govern but as we are spilling our verbal dualities the question that should come to our minds is this: do we really understand everything about each flag (country, culture, and people) that that specific flag represents?  I think not.  I believe that we would easily listen to what everyone else believes about those flags first and then blindly adopt their tainted ideas concerning those flags and then act accordingly.  I realize that I could be opening a can of worms with this topic but it is essential that we grasp the truths about our history enough to make an intelligent decision about humanity instead of just relying on a whimsical line from someone else who is biased for a cause or organization.  For there is another concept concerning a flag here that is placed into this same category and lines are drawn between people and nations when referring to the Flag of God, commonly known as His Word or the Bible. 

Recently we have been witness to numerous rounds of violence in our country in the form of a shooting inside a church, shooting of teenagers in the streets by police officers, and other horrific crimes that are viewed daily across the various accounts of media.  These kinds of events are not limited to this country for one can see these types of crimes and much more like them each day as well.  Do you know that our responses, actions, and reactions to such events constitute an individual flag?  Think about this for a while for it is a fact and one that we really need to understand ourselves before we wave it publicly and fiercely for we can fall into the same medial category as nations if we do not.  And the conditions that we hold in our hearts about the Word of God also either condemn His Flag or uphold its standards, both cannot be ruling.

What happens when one person, then two people, then a multitude of people begin to consecrate ideas that are contrary to what the flag of that nation represents?  Do we fully comprehend what our actions are saying to that country and to the rest of the world when we publicly desecrate burn, rip or be lack any respect for our country’s flag?  And do we understand that our violent tendencies towards our own nation’s standard (flag) actually present what is ongoing in our hearts towards God?  Once again, think about this question and it will become clear – if you look at it with a pure heart - that the both conditions are intertwined.

When our country’s flag was first made, it did not look like the flag that flies over every government building today.  There were not as many states in the union as there is today and while the basic shape and colors have remained the same some evident additions have been made over time.  This country continued its growth over a couple of centuries and is considering adopting more territory to enhance its stability and if this occurs our flag will have to change again with the addition of white stars on the blue background, symbolizing another state or two who have chosen to adhere to the already established union.  Growth is always a positive result, but in order for this nation to grow wisely and for the greater good, the ones who wish to join must be willing to totally come under subjection to the laws of the land. 

As we all know and it has been stated above, not everyone within the confines of a border agrees totally with every law that has already been established before they arrived on its shores.  This is also true about laws that are passed that the people do not agree with after they have become a part of the community or nation; this type of occurrence can even be on the individual or family level.  We also must concede that not everyone shall be happy with the processes that transpire across the nation that they live in, but when we have a land that is based on freedom we should keep it within our hearts to respect those who have differing opinions about laws and living conditions and then work together to improve everyone’s level of acceptability in the surrounding areas.

Today, we are witnessing a sharp turning in how we view the laws and accepted practices that have been previously put in place.  Instead of calmly and rationally doing our best to change these laws and modifying them for the best of the entire country, we are now violently protesting and demanding that laws be changed and if not totally satisfied with the outcome, continue and step-up the violence for an unspecified amount of time.  We do not wish to adhere to the due process and the civility of the law but use its passed results to obtain further admissions at the expense of others.  And it is at this juncture where we have tied the spiritual into the physical and tried to merge God’s Word with the changing surroundings of our land.

To the person who does not understand the boundary lines that God and His enemy have between them this flexibility of manmade laws could be administered to God’s laws as well.  But because God cannot change and therefore cannot mix or even fraternize with His enemy His laws cannot change either.  It is through this unchanging difference between God’s laws and human’s laws that serve as the stickler and the life-saving grace that God has to offer.  It cannot be denied that the world does not wish to have any part of God or His laws, even the atheists see this change in our country.

Now, let us put this into a flag perspective and bring these two concepts into one truth.  If a person stomps on our flag or burns it on a sidewalk, campus or street that action is still possible in our country; without penalty.  What people do not understand is that when you forget about the freedoms enough to commit such an act concerning the standard of the country, that person is abusing the laws that have been established and has taken a step over the boundaries that are in place.  Question to prove this setting: How many people that we see burning a flag or stomping on it is actually demonstrating a happy attitude while performing such act?  Answer: none.  They may be happy about the attention that they are receiving at the media moment, but inside they are fired up enough to violate their country’s standard.

How in the world does the physical action of stomping on or burning a flag have anything to do with God’s Word?  Simple, it is easy for us to recognize the American flag as the standard for our country.  We live within its laws, we live on its land, drive on its streets and roads, shop at its stores, participate in the entertainment games that it has to offer, bank according to one’s own leisure, etc which means we accept the status quo and normalcy of this nation as our own standard.  The Bible is the exact same standard for God laws and therefore is represented on the spiritual standard as a flag.  However, there is one exception to this standard that differs from the physical and that is that God cannot change His standard for any reason, anybody or for any situation for if He did then His enemy and our enemy would have legal access to his ancient position in heaven again and God would be proven as a fraud and as a liar.  It is for this reason that God’s laws cannot and shall never change to accommodate human grips and whims.

It is through the deception of our enemy that we have the notion that we can manipulate God enough for Him to change His position on His laws, we are the created not the Creator.  As in the physical, this thought and belief is a dangerous position to be in because if allowed to continue the physical flag burning attitude shall increase into a more violent and deadly celebration; it is a human trait that all follow, it is just a matter of which level our actions will be taken to and how high that level will be that is concerning.  The same goes for God and His laws because if mankind gets it into their heads that God will not budge or will not participate in their wants they will simply shut Him out completely and ignore every warning sign of the spiritual destruction that they are incurring on themselves.  It is this tie that brings these two standards together and it is occurring right before our eyes this day.

What occurred when the American Civil War took place back during the 1860s?  The country was totally divided and it even had two flags that flew over two capital cities.  Hundreds of thousands of men died and the families of both sides were devastated for decades to come; as we have recently witnessed, some of those wounds have not been allowed to heal properly – according to God – and they are reappearing with a stench that has never been smelled before.  The number of stars on the American flag were legally contested and a new Confederate flag was created, the standard of a nation was then again ripped into shreds on all levels.

This same action is taking place when humans take God’s laws into their own hands and shape them according to want they want and how they feel.  God shall not bend or break His ways but as a true, complete and loving Father He shall allow His children to try and change their lives through the gift of choice.  In other words, we are stomping on His flag, burning His flag and lowering His standard for our own liking; losing stars.  What is produced is a vast spiritual canyon between God and mankind, one that will serve as a permanent and eternal dividing line that shall never be crossed, a state in which our enemy wishes to occur and one that God abhors.  There is nothing good about a civil war for it only serves to divide a union and the same is in progress on the spiritual level inside our lives as we speak but if allowed to continue shall serve as an eternal division and settling.

How much further will our nation be drug down the worldly gauntlet before we have had enough?  That answer is simple for as long as we have people in top leadership positions who dare to ask “All this for a ____ flag?” the path of destruction shall continue.  There have now been calls for the American flag not to be flown in certain areas or in some cases on private land, a progression that shall continue if allowed.  And what if these protests are successful?  What then?  What will be next and to what limits will there be?  It is a setting that is unimaginable for people in this country, but one that should be taken for its value because the threat is real and as long as the connection to the American flag and God’s flag is not understood, both sides of our nation shall be shook and fall.  If the standard of this country is allowed to be tarnished and taken down, so goes the world and the hope of any physical salvation and unity.

If God’s flag is allowed to follow the exact same path as the American flag and it is on pace to do as such we are sunk without any type of life raft.  The Church fails to recognize this truth and fact for she would rather involve herself in an argument about perverted practices rather than change the world through the salvation of Jesus Christ.  We would rather try and merge a holy temple with a godless society instead of feeding sinners with the bread of life through Jesus’ blood.  The Church would rather hide under their sins instead of hiding under the pure umbrella of protection of God through obeying His laws.  The personal physical flags are falling is transpiring and the personal spiritual flags are falling just as fast.  Unless we stop our progression, turn our hearts and eyes back to God this nation shall not be recognizable in the near future.

In truth, when we stomp on, burn or desecrate our flag for any reason we are saying that the actions that we are doing supersede those of what our country has adopted and therefore claim to be usurpers of such lands.  Self-rule is our objective and entitlement servitude demanded, on demand.  It also enables us not to have any respect for authority or any code of conduct other than our own.  What is the difference between God’s laws when put on this level?  They are identical and the responses to them shall be the same.  A flag is a representative of your land and the place where you live.  It gives us an identity to fall back on when times get tough and one to wrap ourselves in when special events come around.  The same is true about God’s Word, for it is a standard for the entire world to know and to live under, not as a suppression but a freedom from the tyrannical enemy that wants to send you to an eternal death.  Church, wake up and proclaim the true gospel of Christ, wave God’s standard high to the dying world.  Hold its truth and justice bold enough so that there is no doubt about its whereabouts in our lives.  God love us and He wants the entire world to understand this before it is too late.  He wants to see stars added, not taken away.

DLB

Helping God Out

Helping God Out

5/23/16

This concept is one that all of us tend to try and do from time to time.  In truth, this is what we are supposed to be doing because we are the only communication tools that God has in order for His Kingdom and Word to be spread to those who do not know Him.  However, we also have a tendency to try and help God out by doing things our own way even though we understand the laws that God has put into place contradict our actions.  The Bible does offer us the example and importance of obedience and what occurs when we do things in our own way instead of the way God has ordained.  This plays into the hands of our enemy and if we do not reverse our course and return to God, our actions shall become very deadly.

One of the more difficult things to understand about God is how He operates when it comes to obeying the laws and commands that He has established.  It is even more difficult is how His response is when we disobey these holy commands because we read about how some of the smallest and detailed infractions committed by humans receive the ultimate punishment while nations continue in their sin for an extended period of time without any major repercussions during that time.  What we really do not comprehend well is that the majority of our rebellious acts against God do not reflect the separation between holy and the sinner, but when the sinner directly violates or tries to violate the holy then immediate action must take place.  Sin cannot initiate holy contact for it is not in the proper order of God.

Holy contact was regularly and continually present in the Garden of Eden with daily walks and talks between God and Adam and Eve.  It is hard for us to imagine what Adam and Eve were thinking when they gave up this type of communication and living conditions but as we all know it occurred and we now are faced with the physical consequences of those actions.  When Adam and Eve fell, God could no longer communicate directly with mankind for when the ground was holy God’s presence was available at all times. 

However, since man originated from the ground the origins of mankind could no longer hold and keep that which is holy and therefore when God passed judgment on the serpent and mankind He could not longer appear in the same form and manner as He did previously.  This separation between God and mankind represents the first example of how God and sin cannot mix in any form and where divine holiness cannot be in contact with sin.  This brings into light the true concept of what is in place, at one time God and mankind were on equal and level terms but after our choice of sin was made that equality was no more.  In other words, since there is no equality between God and man then there definitely cannot be any equality between mankind and mankind.

After a number of tumultuous and disastrous settings, we have another specific example of obedience that plays a significant role in how we believe about God and His laws of conduct when it comes to His holy status and the division that was present during the Old Testament Scriptures.  Many would say that since this event occurred in the Old Testament that it has no relevance in our lives today since Jesus lived, died and was resurrected but in truth God wants us to know that even though His Son did accomplish these feats for our eternal existence, His laws are still in effect and should be continually obeyed at all costs for only through obedience grace can be proclaimed and rightfully claimed.

In 2 Samuel Chapter 6 we have an example of this type of what seems like a helpful detail for God but in reality, it is a gross violation of sin against God.  It was time for the Ark of the Covenant to be moved and according to God’s laws only certain people could actually carry the Ark and the Ark had to be carried and moved in a very specific manner.  This is a detail that God made very clear to the people of Israel and while not everyone was closely familiar with these laws they did understand them and knew that certain ways had to be followed in order for their lives to be spared.  Verse 3 of 2 Samuel Chapter 6 states that theArk had a new cart and that the sons of Abinadab drove the new cart to the place where the Ark was to be picked up and moved.

It is well noted that the sons of Abinadab, Uzzah, and Ahio, knew about the laws of the Ark and knew that every single detail needed to be followed in order that all should proceed without incident.  The Ark of the Covenant was the heart of the people ofIsrael and it represented the dwelling place of God and it is also well documented that the Ark went everywhere that the people of Israel went and served as the defining symbol of the relationship between God and Israel.  In verse 5 of the same chapter of 2 Samuel, it states that as the Ark processed from its place towards its new place the Israelites played music with all of the instruments which represented a notification that God was moving and that He was in His place serving the people as He promised.

As the procession moved and reached a certain place, the oxen began to shake and the Ark of the Covenant became unsteady and looked like it was going to fall.  For whatever reason the oxen shook and when they did shook the Ark enough for it to become unbalanced.  We all know that animals cannot be controlled at all times and that they have movements that seem natural to them – and they are – but sometimes can come at moments when these movements are not the best.  This shaking of the oxen is a prime example of one of these times but it serves as a moment when mankind has to trust in God and not rely on her / his personal beliefs.  It is at this point where it seems like Uzzah has an Adam and Eve moment.

In verse 6 of 2 Samuel Chapter 6, it states that Uzzah sees that the Ark is about to fall because of the actions of the oxen so he reaches out and holds the Ark so that it will not fall to the ground.  It is at this point that God’s anger is quickly kindled and He strikes down Uzzah immediately after he touches the Ark.  This seems hardly a reason for God to act in such a harsh manner, but when one understands the implications of what was going on and what occurred it becomes clear that mankind once again violated a boundary where they had no business in attending. 

This is the point where the sin and separation between God and mankind come into play, you know, the one that was established when Adam and Eve sinned and was established in the Garden of Eden.  For some reason, people had either ignored or had forgotten about these laws of separation and with such “forgettings” did not place the importance of following these laws into their lives.  This is really puzzling since it was still fresh in their history of how God destroyed the earth by water because of such “forgettings”.  But as we will see, this pattern of “forgettings” continues today and is one of the reasons why God must punish our human deeds or apologize for destroying mankind so long ago, and since I have not read where God has ever had to apologize for any act that He has authorized, I do not foresee one coming anytime soon.

God had put into place a detailed order for humans to follow when it was time to move the Ark.  Also, only a few families could represent God when He moved and thus carry His dwelling place.  This was representative of the separation that was in place between God and humanity and this separation could not be disturbed in any manner, especially originating from a human standpoint.  I know with all my heart that Uzzah had no ill intentions of malcontent when he touched the Ark, it seems like it was a quick reaction to make sure that the Ark would not touch the ground and to be truthful when a situation is presented in such a way most people would have done the exact same thing.  There is an underlying detail here that needs to be noted and serves as the foundation as to why God had to act in the manner in which He did.  This also explains a statement made by Job when He was sitting in the ruins of his home and possessions.

Verse 3-4 of 2 Samuel Chapter 6 states that Uzzah and Ahio were part of the team that was to carry the Ark to its destination, which means that they had been fully taught of the specifics of what was to transpire and the manner to which the Ark was to be carried.  No doubt these men were also told, shown and indoctrinated of the importance of procedure and to why it was important to adhere to the measures given to them.  In other words, they knew exactly what was going on and what was at stake through their participation with the movement of the Ark.  Therefore, they could not claim ignorance when something went wrong.  Whoever was responsible for instructing these men in their duties must have told, retold and told them again of the importance of following proper procedure for they should have known that God could not change His laws for any reason.

As stated above, on the surface it would seem like Uzzah was doing the right thing trying to keep the Ark from touching the ground, but when he touched the Ark with his hand it breached the separation that God has with mankind because of the sinful nature that rules our lives.  God cannot have anything to do with sin nor can He be around its effects and it is for this truth as to why He had to act accordingly when a human touched His dwelling place.  It is not because is pious and serves as a dictator but it is a spiritual law that is in place and He cannot violate its boundaries for any cause.  It is easy for those who do not understand the ways of God to react in an argumentative manner through this story in the Bible, and to be honest I do not believe that King David fully understood, at that time, what actually took place.

For in verse 8 of this same chapter, it states that David became angry at God for what God did to Uzzah.  It is clear that David understood what Uzzah was doing and saw the potential and kind deed of Uzzah’s action and consequently David followed human reactions and thus allowed his emotions to flood in first before the truth was revealed to him.  God’s actions were not solely based upon being angry but because He could not change His laws for any situation.  It all goes back to the rebellion of Lucifer and extends up until this very second of our lives.  God cannot change any of His laws for any reason for if He did Satan would have just cause to claim God a liar and demand his place back in heaven, thus creating himself just like God.

It is also through this example of obedience that God is warning His people of their actions when trying to change the laws of God.  It is one thing to act when one does not know about the laws that are in place but it is another when one acts against these laws when they are known about.  As Job sat in the ashes of his ruined life and stated that God would not punish him for any secret sin and that even if God took his life that he would trust completely in God.  While the circumstances are different with Job, the foundation of the laws that God must follow are not, they are intact and He must abide by them continuously. Obedience and love go congruently in Kingdom measures and it is through these principles that God had to act as He did and it is also through these principles that His Word gives us strict and detailed information about His laws and how they should be followed.

Even though God has not struck us down for trying to override His laws there will come a time that He says “enough” and must act accordingly.  What mankind is trying to do seems like a wonderful idea through worldly standards but according to God’s laws and ways, it is immoral and will lead us down a path of destruction that can never be redeemed alone.  Just as Uzzah believed that he was doing the right thing by trying to prevent the Ark from falling, we today are trying to keep people in unity but doing it from a humanly and worldly manner instead of asking God to provide holy answers for hurting people.  If God operates through the complete obedience of His own established laws He cannot expect anything else from His people either.  God is love, this is a true statement but His love operates through obedience, on both sides.

Humans have for a long time downplayed the truth of obedience and have demanded their equality even in times of long-term commitments.  We have selfishly portrayed this level of obedience as unnecessary and therefore not needed in our existence. Humanity does not realize the seriousness of these actions of ours and what potentials it shall lead us in the future.  This human belief is present in the story of Uzzah and it is even further evident in our societies today.  There is one huge difference in the story of Uzzah and in today’s standards while obedience is not portrayed in both settings, we today have no intentions to obey the Word of God in any manner.  The Church has even fallen into this pattern of disobedience and really has no designs to change this pattern either.  What does this mean?  It means certain death of our nation and the world as we know it because as God has demonstrated time and time again He cannot change His laws to suit one person over another nor can He change them for one nation over another.

So when actors and actresses go on nationally syndicated talk programs and host their own programs on cable networks claiming that mankind can change the laws of God and project themselves into the Throne of God as Creator of all things, know that they (we) have fallen into a deadly trap that our enemy has laid that will cause us to fall hard – this is NOT helping God out.  It is time for the Church to repent and to once again go forth and preach The Gospel of Christ into the world which first and foremost is that those who do not know Jesus Christ as their Savior need Him and at the same time leave out the gospel of the world – this IS helping God out.  God has given us the examples of Adam and Eve, and Uzzah in order for us not to make the same mistakes as they did but to live our lives according to the way God desires us, but as always God shall never force us to choose His ways and therefore when we do not, we actually prove the Bible correct anyway.

Time is short and we are heading for a cliff, on all levels of life and as the dream that God gave my father many decades ago, if we do not convince the people to stop and look towards the cross, they will voluntarily run off the ledge immediately past the cross.  This example about Uzzah should make it clear that humanity needs God in their lives on every level and that we should understand ALL of God’s laws to their full extent and that we should hear what God is saying to us through these laws for if we do not we shall surely die.

DLB

God Cannot Serve Two Masters

God Cannot Serve Two Masters

5/20/16

This phrase may not be a common one that we think about but one that we should keep in my hearts at all times for it defines a side of God that is a must for Him to proclaim His eternal status.  We must remember that God is a complete God in all areas and this includes both sides of His Word.  God cannot serve two kingdoms He must be steady enough to ensure that only one Kingdom is adjourned each day with the results of that Kingdom present at every turn.  It is His Kingdom that we must seek, for that is the Kingdom that He wishes for us to live under and within.

The hot topics that grace our newscasts, web casts, articles, texts and conversations mainly deal with societal issues that really should not have anything to do with the status of our lives.  But, in most cases we tend to place the absurd and obsolete in front of the required and drudge forward like these issues were the relevance of our lives.  Why do we place value in bathrooms and fake idioms that should not even be considered yet they end up proving themselves to be total distractions from what is really going on around us?  There only is a single reason and a specific answer to this question and it stems from a problem that began ages ago and through the result of those choices our lives are subject to an enemy whose only wish is to see us be diverse enough from God that we falter in the one mission that God gave us right after we were created.

Most of us have a tendency to think about Matthew 6:24 as a verse that is only one sided, ours.  But in order for us to understand exactly what Jesus was saying here and what God wants us to remember we must take into account the other side of these words.  The verse reads as follows:  “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”  This is a wonderful verse to remind us that we must choose between two kingdoms and that no one can serve both sides of the fence but what does it say about the other side where God originates?  The entire chapter of Matthew 6 is one that sheds light on a sticky subject that many people often quote, yet at the same time they do not fully understand these words of wisdom and then ironically prove the words of Jesus quite true.

It is easy to place these words into our own lives and when Jesus spoke these words this was one side of the issue.  While His words here were direct and to the point, Jesus also makes a huge statement about Himself and His Father and where they stand according to Kingdom and our enemy.  Verses 22 and 23 of Matthew 6 give us an outline of exactly what is going on in our lives when darkness rules our eyes.  But what is God doing here and what are His desires for our lives? 

The statement that Jesus makes is a great command and thinking point for the human mind and heart and one that should be active at all times.  What authority does Jesus have to speak these words about God if He is not God Himself and one that would know exactly what God desires?  With God being a complete God that means that what He says to His children for them to obey and to follow He must first be willing to do the same.  If God varied on any point or on any level this would prove both God and Jesus as liars and therefore one could argue that they really do not exist.

As one studies the Bible and begins to comprehend everything that they can about God they will find that God is consistent in all His ways and this means that once God places something into motion or speaks something into existence He cannot retract it and completely start over again.  God cannot advance the kingdom of our enemy for any reason which is the exact reason Lucifer was cast from heaven when he decided to choose selfish ways instead of God’s.  In Matthew 6:24 Jesus states that mankind cannot serve two masters even though billions of people try to do such and fulfill miserable lives in the process.  So, one can count on the fact that when Jesus stated this truth in Matthew 6 He was also referring to His Father as well.  Can you imagine what toil, turmoil, and devastation we would face if God provided such a dividing foundation?

If God were able to serve both sides of the fence then all blessings on our lives would be based upon a selfish conclusion and deeds to God would be the flooring of our acceptance or rejection in His sight.  Evil would be allowed to coincide with good and sin would be irrelevant because the basis of such a destructive institution would be absorption instead of the principle of covering.  This would place God in a continual and fluent judgmental position, able to be swayed by those who flood Him with good deeds and then back off when they tire.  Stop and think a bit, does this process sound familiar to you?  It should because I have just described to you the deep condition and status of our western societal activities and beliefs.

Jesus knew exactly what He was referring to when He issued these words in Matthew Chapter 6 for not only was He telling us what was at stake in our lives but He was reminding us that God can only serve one Kingdom as well and that He set the standard and raised the bar a long time before humans were ever present.  Jesus also made it clear that our enemy serves only one master as well, himself.  And it is his only job to ensure that we fall and come short of God’s Kingdom every day.  Jesus understood the importance of Kingdom warfare and what is occurring in our lives, He was drawing the battle lines here and making it clear as to what is at stake.  This verse is a complete verse and it defines God, Satan, and our lives.

This statement also poses some questions that each of us should ask: Which Kingdom do we serve?  Do we understand what Kingdom really is and what is actually going on in this realm?  It is well known that Jesus spoke to the people in parables and it is through these parables that He taught us how to live with this mode of thinking.  For the most part, the Church has taught a partial parable but has left out the remaining portions due to the fact that they either did not understand the spiritual meaning of them or that they wished not to stir up controversy.  In either way, only half of the gospel is being taught through this manner and thus we have a world spirit that is overcrowding God’s Spirit from our lives.  God’s Kingdom represents life in its fullest capacity but when God’s Word is taught with half truths then it becomes a stalemate and only can produce death which is NOT God’s Word at all.

We should have recognized this fact about God and that He only follows one side by the last few words of Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:24 when He says “Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”  For it is through these words that Jesus says God only serves one master (Kingdom) and not two.  This can only mean that God is holy in every bit of His existence and will only create eternal life in all cases for He cannot serve two masters by establishing something that is stalemated or dead.  This also means that God created complete beings as well and we can see this through the creation of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden for it was the dominion that God gave them that was complete and it was their choice to rip it apart, just as it is our choice to rip that same dominion of ours apart or to keep it intact.

Church it has become obvious that we have sat back in our pews and waited for God to return.  What a grievous sin we have committed by this action of ours.  While we have completed this horrendous act we have actually served the master of the world and have allowed him to overtake ground that God cries out for.  How many lives have we destroyed due to our selfish ways and manners?  God says to the non-committal church to wake up and to once again become the Church that He established for the world.  Turn the lie around and allow the Church to say “let the Church be separated from the world and state” instead of the world dictating this horrific phrase.  The ONLY way that this shall be possible is if the Church understands Kingdom principles and know exactly what we are fighting for.

We must continually remember that if we are seeking first the Kingdom of God, which is the advancement of His Kingdom that we are serving two masters and in truth if this is the case then we are actually serving the kingdom of Satan.  The reason Jesus said this statement is just that, it is a statement and truth with no room for argument.  And as He stated these words He was also affirming that God cannot serve two masters which too is a statement that has no room for argument.  The Church should realize this fact and commit herself in defending the Kingdom of God and the principles which define it with their lives for it is everyone’s spiritual lives that we are fighting for.  Jesus’ words in this verse are no manse pansy conglomeration of junk that is just random, they have a meaning and the meaning that Jesus is making here is the truth about Kingdom and the war that is all around us.  This statement by Jesus is not a social butterfly representation of His surroundings or one that many churches like to portray.  It is a statement of war and definitions of boundary lines that all should understand.

Jesus presents this boundary line in a dramatic fashion which demands our inner and outer order to match up in order to understand which line to recognize and then to fight.  God cannot continue to bless those who continue to flail against His people and His truths for when you do, even though you believe it is all conducted “in love” it fights for the kingdom of the world and not the Kingdom of God.  This nation cannot say that she does not understand God and His principles nor can the Church conceive the same lie because it is through this foundation that our nation is being destroyed while we are swinging our swords at one another instead of the defined enemy.  God cannot serve two masters for it is impossible to do so.  We cannot serve two masters for it too is impossible.  This means God cannot originate a double standard or a double minded person either – which is an entirely different topic.

God is calling for His Church to repent of their double standards and to completely choose His Kingdom as her foundation.  All other issues and foundations shall fall and fail and proven so over time, plus it is a biblical truth that is explained throughout God’s Word.  The Church has allowed herself to live in a stay of an array that can no longer function as she was designed and this is evident with complete division over worldly items that have infiltrated her walls.  This previous sentence is a testimony of which kingdom she serves and should not be any doubt where she stands.  Want a good picture of our national status, then take a good look at the Church and one shall be painted with an accurate picture.

Yes, we are supposed to bring in sinners but instead of teaching them the Word of God we are allowing them to sit in our pews – along with us – and not be repentant and to change their lives back to God.  Again, a significant example of which master and kingdom the Church serves.  Bring in the lost and cast off their worldly sins, that is the mission of the Church and a mission of this caliber cannot be compromised in any way.  God cannot serve two masters and this should be the standard that we must remember for it is not a position of argument, but one of exact truth.

DLB

Entitlement

Entitlement

5/16/16

This word is one that graces our presence almost every day in some form or shape, and when it does it is not in a good manner either.  Did you know that this word was not always used in such a negative connotation and that it was originally meant as a true and complete blessing?  This should not come as a surprise to anyone since when something good is created the enemy has the job to distort that creation enough to render its usage null and void.  We are witnessing this word being flung around with recklessness and in some cases utilized as a threat.  This word along with all other words and living statuses shall continue their violent rounds until our societies put God back in their hearts and place His ways first once again.

A long time ago my father gave me some advice that I try and instill in my girls as well and it goes something like this.  When you have a job no matter what type of job it is you must always do your best at all times.  Be respectful to your boss and contribute completely in the product that you are working with.  Always remember that no matter how high up you get in your position that there will always be someone above you making sure that things are done correctly and honestly.  Be truthful, honest and hard-working at all times and God shall see to it that your family is provided for continually.  What my father said to me is that I must work hard for everything that I have and not to expect a free handout for a job less done.

The word entitlement comes from the root word entitle which is a transitive verb and has the following meaning: to furnish with proper grounds for seeking or claiming something; to give a title to or to give a right to.  It is through this specific definition that the popular word of entitlement is used today and is now being demanded in the manner in which the definition comes.  Entitlement is supposed to mean that once people leave that the possessions of the forepersons are freely and lovingly handed down to those who have honored the lives of those before them.  However, this definition has taken a gross turn and is now being demanded without merit and concern.

Does any of you know where this word and manner actually originated?  Of course, it is easy to say that once mankind began to adjust to conditions after the fall that it was at this point in time.  If one is looking for a biblical point of reference then it would be easy to say that it was first demonstrated with Cain and Able or Jacob and Esau.  But in truth, this word and all of its meaning began further back, long before mankind roamed the earth and even before we were created from the ground itself.  Entitlement began in heaven with the fall of Lucifer and the presentation of his selfishness against God.  And it was from this defining point that this word began its hideous course of destruction on each person on this earth.

There is no doubt that Lucifer played around with God’s laws enough to warrant this type of action against God.  It is difficult to keep in mind exactly what transpired when Lucifer decided to demand that God share His status with him, but it must have occurred because God would not cast Lucifer out from heaven on a whimsical charge.  Lucifer wanted to be like God, to share in the glory that defines God and to have an all-powerful status that would further separate him from the other angels and principalities in heaven.  It was through this proclamation of Lucifer that he demonstrated greed and envy towards God and forced God to eternally change Lucifer’s status, strictly because of the choices that Lucifer made and NOT by God’s own accord.  Lucifer knew his place in heaven and he understood what was expected from him in the duties that God had given him. It was through this status that Lucifer’s desire for more began for even the eternal beings that God created had a choice and it was through this gift that Lucifer demanded more from God on the basis that he believed he could do things better with more.

So, after a certain amount of time God allowed Lucifer to make his choice and therefore face the consequences of his choice. Since God is a complete and holy God, God had no choice but to render Lucifer a liar and had to cast him from His presence because God could not and still to this day be around anything that is not pure and holy.  It was through the choice of Lucifer that this process was initiated and then executed by the only One who had the complete authority to do such an act.  With such action taken, Satan continued his pursuit of God’s creations by installing this entitlement process as a means to incorporate his rebellion against his Creator and it is a process that we are witnessing today as it unfolds in the lives of those who want the best of everything but do not wish to earn it as everyone before them did.  If anyone ever has questions as to the seriousness and the infiltrating conditions this entitlement process has, remember that Lucifer convinced 1/3 of all the angels in heaven that he was right and took them with him when he fell; it was their choice too.

When I read history there is a certain pattern that is easily noticed when it comes to the standards of living.  A certain time back there was a TV program on that people were picked to live in an old house that resembled a period time back when the modernity’s of this day and age were not around.  These people had to give up every modern technological advance to live in this state, it was so detailed that even the clothes that could be worn were ones from that 1800s time period.  While many of the parties that participated enjoyed their time there it was a common theme that the people who lived back then definitely had a harder time of living.  I cannot help but wonder how people would react if those types of conditions were to resurface themselves once again; have you ever thought about why this setting could return?

As we watch time progress it is not difficult to figure out that as technology advances the lives of humans becomes easier. Today, we have made traveling a snap with several methods of arriving at our destinations around the world.  Back in the 1800s and early 1900s, it was almost impossible to cross the ocean to go visit family in another part of the world.  But today if we wish to watch a Premier Football match in London, it is not difficult to book the arrangements and head over for a short stay and return home in less than three days.  One can plug in any other setting and have almost the same result, our lives have become so complex with this lifestyle yet we crave more and more as our eyes and ears witness.

We all know that it is God’s intentions that His children have all the blessings possible and that all blessings come from Him. But as with the times of Lucifer in heaven, it is his job to distort this process and to render God’s origin of blessings into a lie that we believe and live through instead.  It is a process that one must recognize before they can acknowledge its presence and as long as we continually receive gifts and presents it is hard to write a true thank you note.  It is also through this process that the word entitlement is brought into the picture and strategically and subtly placed in our hearts by Satan.  Over a period of time, if that belief is not detected it will grow enough in our hearts that its presence will function as a normal portion of our lives and then grow to become a determining factor in the decisions that we make.

If I spoke to my parents in a similar manner as the kids do to their today I probably would still be lying in a bed some place recovering from the punishment that I deserved.  I love my parents and even though I did not like some of the things that occurred in my life, the consequences of my actions strictly determined the results.  My parents never beat me in any such manner and the spankings and groundings that I did receive I totally deserved.  Yes, I pitched some fits in stores when I asked for something and did not receive it, but in no such terms did I deserve to demand that item from my parent, not then and surely not now.  Can you imagine the words that must have flown out of Lucifer's mouth when he demanded the equality status that God demonstrated?

When a person believes that they deserve something it is their responsibility to earn it.  It is no one else’s place to give it to them when they ask for it.  Now, there are those who will do such an act and it is their choice to do so but at the same time those people need to understand that when this occurs – on a continual basis – it is only enabling entitlement to become a foundation of the receiver’s life.  This process only begins a pattern of separation between giver and receiver that if not stopped will grow into a violent misconduct at some point in the future.  It is a process that becomes so intertwined in our lives that we do not even recognize its presence but at the same time is manifested through the words that we speak to others.

Society today promotes everything imaginable and as they promote these items the companies insinuate that there will be no problem in a person obtaining these items.  The belief that we need every comfort item available is a huge lie that serves nothing but the greed of humanity.  The kids are not taught anything about loyalty, work, or responsibility anymore only what they deserve and how bad they are if they do not have everything possible.  Teachers are the evil beings and the students are the victims and should demand good grades even when the pupils refuse to complete the work.  All areas of human existence are now subject to entitlement and as our societies continue to deteriorate and fall, we fail to recognize the spirit of entitlement and how it is one of the major catastrophes that our enemy is using to divide us from our Creator.

When people “protest” in the streets over police department actions by destroying public buildings, burning businesses, pillaging neighborhoods and harming other human lives this is a result of entitlement in action.  If people do not get their way in outcomes and then take revenge on those involved or even to those not involved, this is a result of entitlement.  Stop and think about this process for a moment.  We have endured some horrific scenes in this country over the past few years through innuendos and accusations from people who do not wish to hear the truth but only seek revenge for something that they believed occurred.  They level threats against communities, organizations and groups of people before anything is even legally done concerning the matter.  The origins of this movement have been perfectly laid and we have no choice but to reap the benefits of this rage.

I understand the concept of scholarships and gifts that allow people to receive items and things that the recipients normally would not get to do or have.  I have received such scholarships in my life and have been much appreciative of these opportunities.  But at no time did I ever demand someone give me these gifts and use the concept that it was my right to receive such items because of who I was or where I lived.  It is not right for me that I demand from a person I do not know, from a friend or a family member a gift that allows me to go to Europe for a month-long trip.  Nor do I have the authority to demand that I go back to school and demand that a person off the street or any person for that matter pay for my tuition.  On what authority do I have to demand a person to vote in a certain manner and then protest their actions if they do not agree with my position?  These are only a few of the examples that are noticeable in our societies today, and they serve as a launching pad for further and more insidious proceedings in the near future.

The dangerous portion of this entitlement process is that it will eventually spill over its physical boundaries and become more on a personable level.  Higher degrees of inception will be required as time passes, and with the stakes becoming higher the demands for productivity will increase as well.  Sound like a sales pitch?  Actually, it is the truth for as we all know that when humans demand something they usually find the means to obtain that item desired and if resources are scarce the only thing left to do is to resort to personal property to furnish such wants.  People, this is not a far-fetched idea or looney concept that I am dreaming up to scare you, but it is a truth that God is sharing to His people in order that they understand exactly what the world and its leader are doing.

It is a dangerous scenario also because the Church has not recognized this process as a hindrance in / to its congregations.  In fact, the Church has accepted this process as its friend and is now incorporating the entitlement message into its weekly sermons.  The one living entity that should immediately recognize that this entitlement process is a spirit and should be fought off, in reality, invites its seductiveness into her existence.  Since this word originated in Lucifer it cannot be anything but a spirit, for Lucifer is created as such and spirit must act on spirit to influence the flesh; think about that phrase for a moment. 

The simple prayer of salvation has been watered down to a few words that have no meaning or foundation according to what Jesus taught as repentance.  And it is through this visible abomination that demonstrates the Church’s acceptance of entitlement.  See, Jesus taught that the world needs to be saved but that the world could only be saved if repentance was truly present when people came to Him and to His Father.  Repentance takes a commitment and a turning from the direction that one was in before the change.  If Jesus represented God and all of His covering that means He came to the world to change the people and to deliver them out of the world, not to have them continually incorporating their lives in the world.  But today, the Church fails to recognize this truth and falls directly in line with the teachings of the world, not of God.

The world plays around with God’s laws so that they eventually mean nothing to the person and their lives.  It is easy to comprehend that the world does not care to see that their entitlement visions is a dooming spirit that has eternal damnation as its reward.  What frightens me the most is that the Church that Christ commissioned to preach the gospel to the dying world does not even fathom that a problem of entitlement exists, much less that it is a moving and growing spirit.

So what can humanity expect from this growing spirit of entitlement?  That is a good question and one that I challenge you to study quite extensively.  First, look at the meaning of the word entitlement and place its contents in your fore-thinking.  Every detail of that word should be readily accessible to your spirit eyes.  When one understands that this process is alive and growing they can see it move and then will not be surprised when it takes its next step  Entitlement is a step process that needs to move in order to fulfill its mission.  Refer to Lucifer’s fall if one wants to know the end result of entitlement, for he demanded to be like God and to have what God possessed.  God cannot stress enough what this spirit shall bring if we do not recognize its presence in our lives.  We have been given the perfect example to understand yet we reject its truth for our own self-pleasure - which is a direct result when entitlement is being displayed.  Entitlement has a natural course, just look at our enemy’s life for that proof.

Church it is time we wake up and recognize what we have allowed to take from our lives.  We are supposed to be the light that shines in the darkness and to uncover all of the evil that our enemy is spreading.  We have become self-centered in all of our ways, serving those who agree with us instead of what God agrees with.  We fail to see the steps that our enemy is taking without opposition and as each step is taken millions of people go to their eternal destinies not being told about the true salvation of Jesus.  Our dominion has been compromised to the point that we no longer have the Divine protection over our land and unless we turn from our wicked ways we shall soon not have a land that we can recognize and call our own.  The entitlement spirit is growing exponentially by the second and the spirit of the Church is being pushed back just as fast.  This is not what Jesus established and we must regain what we have allowed the enemy to destroy.  Repent! And then allow God to restore in us His mission for a dying world.

DLB