The Logic of Obedience

The Logic of Obedience

3/29/17

The truth about obedience is that many of us do not like to commit to this phrase because it means not following our own will.  In many circles, this word is not even recognized on any level with the exception of our own lives, and then that is not always intact.  A logical process takes place when we obey and usually, things are a lot easier in stature in these conditions.  The Bible gives us a great deal of information concerning this truth and information that holds the key to our lives and eternity as well, another reason why the world does not want this word to become a mainstay in our heart’s vocabulary.  However, unless we return to this root word’s Originator, our lives shall continue to decrease in unity and spiral out of control on a spiritual level which is a level that our Originator cannot look upon.

During my life, I have heard many people argue the fact that the Bible makes no sense and that its logic is way off target.  This should not come as a surprise to those who live by the Word of God and have hidden its content inside their heart, because when a person who is bound by the world will think accordingly and therefore react as such.  This can be a problem since many of the people in the Christian world do not understand how to talk with these people and thus end up dividing further the ties between the participants.  But when one begins to process that God has a specific order about Him and that He cannot deviate from that order in any way, some things become clearer to our finite minds and hearts as to why He does the things that He does.

How many out there have disobeyed your parents?  I know that my hand will be the first one to be raised for I cannot lie and say that I did not.  Now, it took a “few” times before I came to the understanding that it was not a good idea to lie to them because they almost always found out what was going on in my life, sometimes even before I got home.  Talk about not having a chance, lol.  But while I was struggling with the concept of obedience I had no idea that God would be using me as a witness for Him someday and that obedience would play a huge role in this part of mine.  It took me a while to figure out that if I just simply told the truth that things may seem a tad rough at that moment, all would be ok for the future and that if I tried to cover up my disobedience with disobedience my life would stay in turmoil for a lot longer, including my butt.  In my opinion, this is where the phrase two negatives don’t make a positive comes into play.

As I reminisce about those dark days of lying, I can remember my mind doing its best to think of a way to embellish the truth yet keep my parents occupied enough mentally that would buy me enough time for things to blow away.  Even though my thought process was secure, so I thought, they always found out at a later time the truth which when occurred provided me an additional time away from things that I wanted to do.  I also must contend that as I look back at my life and all the times that I lied or disobeyed my parents that it separated me from them in a way most divisive and to have their trust in me again longer.  Think about what God just said here and this concept of obedience that He uses throughout His Word will come alive and also bring to it the logic that He writes in His Word through how our parents tried to teach us in this manner.

A huge cry that is going out in the world today is to be unified and to be equal in all aspects of life.  This seems like a wonderful concept and God has even dealt on this subject many times in these articles as well.  While the common theme in the world resonates this subject, as each day passes we see the divide growing and deepening which raises our frustration levels exponentially.  This unsettledness is not limited to just this nation but can be witnessed all around the world, with the exact same results being produced. 

It is not difficult to reason why we are in a state such as we are, especially when the leaders of this nation have no intentions of cooperating with those who disagree with them all in the name of resistance.  This is a direct reflection of how we treat God as well and we all know that if our horizontal relations are not good there can be no way that the vertical relationship can be on good terms either.  This nation alone is in utter chaos because of its own reflections towards God and His Ways.  America was created to be the haven for all who wished to seek God freely and to live by His Word according to that foundation.  We have chosen that the benefits from God are too much to handle properly and those selfish guidelines of the world are more “righteous” than the Creator of the holy foundation. While God abhors this choice of ours and He shall allow us to live in its squander until a certain amount of time has passed and then “enough” is uttered from His mouth, to which we shall witness just how far we have ventured away from His mark.

It is for this reason alone that God has a specific order that He addresses issues in His Word and we see right from the beginning of His Word that obedience is a huge issue of safety, not control that is present.  In Genesis, we read that Adam and Eve had everything they needed and had no enemies to overpower them as long as they obeyed God’s one command.  It was not the fruit that was important, nor was it the tree itself either but it was the act of obedience that God was wanting from them.  We do not know what living a perfect and pure life is for it was the consequences of sin that has led us to the way we are and how we act today.  That pattern has not changed one bit since the day Adam and Eve chose to listen to disobedience instead of the truth.

Did Adam and Eve understand what exactly they did? Kind of, for once again they tried to take matters into their own hands by creating a covering themselves instead of figuring out that God would be the only One that could provide them with such a covering, and given the fact that they had just messed up the first covering over them, this process of theirs was now a finite solution which God recognized immediately.  God’s protection came as a sacrifice of an animal one of the last acts God did for Adam and Eve before they left the Garden of Eden, yet from the lack of response from their lips it can be easily interpreted that they still did not fully understand what God’s importance of covering meant, further defined by the acts of their sons sometime later.  It is this pattern of selfish and superficial sacrifices that led God to verbally reemphasize the truth that obedience is far greater in truth than the act of sacrifice.

In order for us to figure out the logical patterns of God, we must first acknowledge that the ways of mankind are far less than God’s and until we proclaim this truth we cannot understand His Truth.  When God initiates a process, He does so in such a perfect manner that we usually fail to recognize due to our own blindness and lack of knowledge concerning His order and wisdom.  God does not talk in circles He leads us on a straight path.  It is mankind who love to make circles and to make it where our lives seem to be less and less productive in moving forward and thus useless for any purpose.  Do not believe me?  Take a look at the last three generations of people that have been thrust into the world and look at their lives, both physically and spiritually.  Take a DEEP and hard look, set aside your personal acceptance and place them and their attitudes in God’s perspective of measuring up and then you will notice that a huge difference concerning unity is present.  It is God’s orderly process of obedience that if commanded will negate all confusion about who is the ruler and creator of our lives and thus bring us back into unified standards with our fellow mankind.

This brings us to Israel in the book of I Samuel and how they had progressed to the point where the act of sacrifice had become a ritual instead of an atonement process.  In 1 Samuel 15, God has had enough with the listless order of sacrifice because the people had made it a routine procedure instead of a personal and intimate repentance process through the needing and realization of the relationship stability with God.  Here is something to ponder on, what if God came to the same conclusion we do concerning His relationship with us if God was not 100% committed to the salvation of His prized creations all the time, what do you believe would occur in our lives?  It is this 100% commitment that He wants in return, that is all.  God understands that we cannot provide a perfect relationship with Him due to the sin and separation that lives within our lives; therefore, knowing this truth it is imperative that we do everything in our power to care enough about our relationship and eternal status with God to take a daily interest in this course and this can only be present through obedience.  Obedience comes from the heart which means it is personal and relevant to how the spirit operates.

The attitudes of Israel prompted the prophet to proclaim from God that He was sick of their religious practices because those practices had no meaning, both from their lives and to God.  These words should have been a direct message to the children of Israel concerning the condition of their hearts, but in reality, it turned out to be a slap on their cheeks by a white glove and considered an insult to them, which quickly leveled up to a revolt.  What is so intriguing about this setting is that Israel failed to recognize that the progression of their choosing an earthly king a bit earlier had already produced a further division between them and God, and only increased their ignorance that they were in the wrong in the first place.  One cannot argue against the fact that Israel had not truly progressed in the relationship with God more than what Adam and Eve had done long before their nation was established.  Adam and Eve did not understand this truth and neither did the children of Israel, but God was persistent and even after all of the trials, mistakes and blasphemous acts they committed before God, God once again made it very clear that obedience was more important than sacrifice.

There is nothing higher than obedience when a relationship is involved, no matter what the level of relationship may be.  In this case and in our case today, the relationship that God wants us to have with Him is a personal and intimate relationship one.  It is not some flimsy or intermittent communication of gratitude for that will produce a standard of stagnation instead of a calling for life itself.  God is not interested having your attention or semi attention on Sunday (Saturday) mornings and occasionally on a weeknight.  God does not care about that sacrificial process of personal time in order to do and to complete your duty as a person or child of God; in fact, these types of acts make Him sick and disgusted.  God is 100% committed to providing a process of salvation, redemption, and restoration for us and the only thing He asks in return is that we humbly and obediently return the truth of relationship with Him.

We must understand that obedience was the only condition that Adam and Eve had to adhere to during their tenure in the Garden of Eden, hey failed terribly at this fact.  Obedience was the driving force that God wanted the children of Israel to figure out and to keep in their hearts they too failed at this simple and lively task.  Today, the one main characteristic of relationship that many have trouble with and some flat out refuse to do is obedience.  We claim to obey no one but ourselves but in truth, we cannot even succeed at that claim because of the diabolical issues we subject ourselves to every day.

Obedience was the foundation to living out the dream setting that God placed Adam and then created Eve in, and as we shall read shortly disobedience was the procedure that the dream place and their dream was wiped away.  This means that obedience is one of the foundational aspects of restoration for if we do not have obedience to God and His Ways there is no way that we can be restored in His sight and reverts us back to the noncommittal sacrificial religious practices that mean absolutely nothing to God.

This nation is in direct disobedience to God and to His Ways and we advance this disgust and sickness of God each and every day.  It pains God in an eternal way to see His children deliberately sever the ties of spiritual communication and relationship with Him, all in the name of idolatry, freedom, and self-righteousness.  What is most frustrating to God in 1 Samuel 15 is that the people of Israel were so blinded to their condition that they had no clue why God was so upset at them.  I ask you, are we any different today then what the children of Israel were in this passage of Scripture?  The answer is obvious, but I can venture to say that everyone who does not attend church or study God’s Word AND a vast majority of those who sit in church every week has no clue as to the hurt and disappointment that we bring to His heart trough our disobedience.

The song “To Obey Is Better Than Sacrifice” was written by Keith Green approximately four decades ago.  Keith received much criticism for this title and for the words of the song, but he repudiated these critical accusations and refused to back down from any portion of the song, and rightly so.  What Keith was writing about was the true and unadulterated Word of God and it was a specific message of warning to the children of Israel and it still is the same message for us today.  Obey is everything and it is even considered to be greater in the eyes of God for it represents the origin – disobedience – that sacrifice covers, a powerful statement that one cannot deny if a relationship is desired.  God always obeys His Laws and Word and He cannot deter from this truth by any means, for if He ever did our lives would be the subject of a cursing that is unimaginable, just as it will in the day of judgment if we do not turn our hearts back to God today.

God is calling for His Church to wake up and to walk uprightly before Him.  The only way that this is possible is if we obey God’s commands from Genesis to Revelation and live them as the middle portions of the Bible describe.  How importance is obedience to God?  Ask Adam and Eve, ask the children of Israel, ask any of the prophets, ask the congregations of the Early Church, ask any leader of today’s Church and most importantly ask yourself that question.  Take time to complete this simple question and answer session because it could save you an enormous amount of extended agony.

If Adam and Eve would have listened and obeyed in the Garden of Eden there would have been no reason for the act of sacrifice. Their disobedience cost them everything and if God allowed their loss to occur back then, He SHALL ALLOW IT TO OCCUR AGAIN TODAY.  We can skip this ugliness by choosing to obey God’s Ways again, it is a simple process and easily to begin but we must be committed 100% at all times for if we do not our houses may have been initially cleaned but recognized as not filled properly and then reoccupied by even greater disobedience.  This is the logic of obedience, do not disobey and relationship shall be much easier and protected on all levels of life.

DLB

Blood Cannot Lie

Blood Cannot Lie

3/28/17

Humans like to try and manipulate as many things as possible in order to satisfy their own situations.  It is this philosophy that drives out reasoning and infuses corruption that only grows and becomes a confused and destructive state.  There are not many things that humans cannot change for their benefit and while these few unchangeable items may be conclusive hidden agendas can still be presented as a risk.  We see this type of manipulation concerning the Bible and what it stands for, who it was written by and for what reasons it was written.  But just as blood it is a solid component that runs through our veins and defines us as a creation and cannot be truly altered.  The Word of God is our fingerprint, our DNA that we cannot deny.  It is this truth which should cause us to embrace this truth about our existence and God asks us to stop fighting this truth and live under its eternal guidance.

Many of you know that I have dedicated most of my adult life to the medical field and more specifically in the clinical laboratory side of the profession.  I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in the lab and I look forward to many more opportunity years to come.  My learning has been a constant and one that I have promoted and will continue to promote to those who wish to enter into this field for it has provided me with a great deal of knowledge about my life and what mechanisms drive each breath I take. For the most part, the laboratory deals in blood and to obtain this precious commodity a needle is used to obtain such a sample. Over the years the amount of knowledge about the blood has increased dramatically and it is through this continued learning that we have many answers about how our bodies function and what ails them as well.

Our blood contains various amounts of ingredients that supply our lives with the needed nutrients our bodies require to survive, and it is through these transport mechanisms, called cells, that are responsible for such delivery.  At certain times it is required that we go see a physician and he/she may order a blood draw in order to check on some of these cell levels.  The instruments that measure such “creatures” are sophisticated and cost a fair amount of change but the results that they give provide the physicians with the best kind of educated population of cells that is possible.  While the amount of blood that is used for each specimen is minute, a great deal of information can be calculated and presented to whoever ordered the test.  After the results are completed, it is up to the physician and the patient to coordinate efforts together in order to help and maintain the health of said patient.

While the instrument responsible cannot identify all cells accurately it does provide a great quality of account through its precision techniques of identification.  It is not considered a mistake or deliberate tactic to misinform humans that are running the sample but a state of affairs in which not all cells fall into a single category that can 100% of the time easily identified, a part of our makeup that cannot be avoided.  The issue of malcontent or manipulation comes from the human operating the instrument through the thought process of the mind in order to control the situation.  I am not saying that anyone would deliberately change results in order to obtain favorable reporting conditions, but if I am being honest, it has been done many times in the past and is still in practice today.  It is this type of manipulation that God wants to deal with us today, the truth in the blood cannot be changed, but it can be personally manipulated for individual and beneficial self-status.

Without blood, our bodies would not be able to complete its overall function.  Blood components are uniquely registered to accept and to deliver certain nutrients when needed.  This function does not change and can be continued until the cell or group of cells die in which new cells are “born” and proceed to complete the process without a hindrance of flow.  It is no secret that humans love to be in control or believe that they are in control of their destiny.  It is through this belief that we will try and manipulate our circumstances in order to obtain this perfect state that we desire, I know because when I was younger I did my best to do things better, longer, stronger, and faster because being a short, white boy on a Texas high school football team was not a good advantage.  It is this type of manipulation that we also try to accomplish when we study the Word of God and then present it in a manner of self-indulgence instead of the real message that it really brings.

Many in the medical profession understand that blood is formed while the baby is inside the womb and connected to its mother.  It is this process of blood development that is so vital for our inner marrow to be able to complete its job of growth and reactivity with the mother, the mother’s internal environment, and a normocytic status after the baby is born.  This process of cell growth continues all throughout our lives and unless a major insult occurs within the DNA replication cycles.  Is it not enough that we are subject to this abnormal cell production than having to worry about humans manipulating results in order to obtain a favorable result instead of what the cells really proclaim?  This gross protest of the truth is not limited just to the identification of cells but can be used in the blood bank as well, an even greater scare that can actually kill the patient.  I have learned over the years that the human mind can be a great asset to any work environment but it also can play havoc into a life when certain settings are defined.

I understand that this suggestion is very disturbing and one that is hardly imaginable, but we must contend that it had been committed in the past, it is being performed by someone today and as long as humans are operating such instruments these false results will continue into the future.  So, if this human practice is so vile against people who are sick and when noticed produces basically an end of career choice why isn’t those who are perverting the blood of Christ and its eternal meaning being placed on a greater hot seat?  There are many churches and denominations that are doing this exact practice and I hear nothing about these incidents until it is an enormous issue.  The cells of the blood cannot lie but humans can manipulate the results for their own good.  The same is true about the blood of Jesus, for it too cannot lie but we do the same to it as we do the physical blood cells.  Both settings are true, however, for even the ones deceiving from the truth need blood in order to survive and life.

When people shape false results concerning cells it totally throws the people who need to know what is going on inside the patient off and leads them down a path that could do harm to that patient if not discovered.  It is this result that the person altering the results does not think about or does not care about.  The human body has mechanisms that show themselves when things are not right.  Fever, chills, pain, etc. are all examples of this type of bodily response that is an indicator that things are not right and should be examined again.  It is this challenge to secure as soon as possible for if ignored again, could prove to be too late for the patient.  Again, this process can be applied to the blood of Christ and when not addressed correctly, can lead a person to their eternal death.

There are numerous people in the world that claim to be “Christians” then proclaim a magnificent gospel according to what they believe personally.  These people promote the identical characteristics as the deceivers that proclaim medical reports as the truth when they know that they are not.  They have the truth right in front of them yet contradict the truth and interpret according to what they deem easy and quick.  Every word in the Bible contains the truth about the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus and the shedding of His blood on the cross for our salvation and covering.  If any other definition of sacrifice and covering is presented it is a lie and does not represent the truth about the blood that was shed by Jesus for us.  God’s provision for our covering was demonstrated in the Garden of Eden right before Adam and Eve were commanded to leave.  God did not quit at that moment because things did not look good, nor did He paint a rosy picture for His creations either, God did not waiver from His Word then and He shall never waiver from His Word today either.

Deceiving another person on any level is self-glorification at its best and can create devastating consequences for everyone involved.  The blood that is presented on a microscope to look at or in a test tube to be incubated, along with the added components or reagents to it for reactive purposes gives off a binding answer that can be read and studied in order to give out a helpful result.  When Jesus died on the cross and all of the preliminary settings played out, it was for a reason and that reason was so that when He accepted our sins that we did not have to bear the weight of our condition before God.  Jesus’ blood was created for this purpose and He gave His blood up for us and shed it willingly so that we can be pure and clean in the sight of our Holy Father.

When a cell is not familiar to me on a slide, it is my responsibility to find someone else to identify it or to refer to textbooks in order for an accurate count to be obtained.  I cannot just make up a cell or place the unknown cell into a known category, for that is deception and a false hope presented to the physician.  The blood may have given up the truth but through my manipulation results were skewed and a lie, it is not the blood’s fault but mine alone.  When preachers, teachers, scholars, or everyday “Joes and Janes” present a different version of the true meaning of Christ’s blood they are providing the same lie to those seeking truthful answers about their eternal position.  It is through this action that becomes a tainted gospel and one that portrays Jesus’ blood as a watered down truth according to the world and not God the Father.  Blood is blood and it cannot lie, but when the human does not understand this truth and then manipulates the truth by telling a lie, Satan’s Kingdom is advanced which prohibits a person from understanding the real truth in a time of need.

Blood cannot lie no matter what the person performing the test wishes the results to be.  We are so blessed to have such specific instruments and medical facilities to provide great and accurate results for those needing treatment.  While the number of conditions and diseases seem endless, it is the levels of disease and the results of those diseases that blood helps identify and then monitor the progress of treatment.  It is essential that all medical care providers provide such an accurate count at all times and I am so glad that I can state that through my instrumentation my hospital and laboratory provides such a quality of work.  However, there is one distinct difference between the blood of Christ and its job and the job that our blood holds.  No question that without our red cells, white cells, and all of the other components that make up the blood that flows through our veins and arteries we could not survive but even in times of healthy states blood functions and fluctuations vary and can fail.  In NO WAY POSSIBLE, can the blood of Christ fail His children for His blood is eternal and ever flowing and if we miss His blood it is by our choice and not Jesus.

Over the years that I have been in the laboratory, I wish I could say that my knowledge of blood and all of its components have been accurately reported to physicians, not that I have deliberately reported false results but there is no exact way to report every cell adequately, and proves that I am a human and have limited knowledge about blood; however, I continue my quest to seek the answers and will do so until God changes my course.  But the blood of Jesus is not as such for each cell of His blood is created by His Father who is perfect and holy in every way and it is through this perfection I lay my claim for I know that if it was not for Jesus’ blood I would not have any reason to even ask for forgiveness.  If humans can alter results in the name of comfortability then they can do the same when it comes to the eternal blood.  Be not deceived or confused and the only way not to be fallen into this trap is to know the Word of God like the back of your hand.  Blood is the perfect truth for salvation and living and represents the only source of life, both physically and spiritually.

Jesus and His Father shall never deceive us in any way or manner because they cannot do such an act.  God has been consistent for as long as He has been in existence, which is an amount of time that our minds and hearts cannot comprehend, in all directions of distance.  Jesus’ blood represents the exact same amount of distance when it comes to its consistency and effectiveness.  If we are manipulated by the wiles of our enemy, it is the truth and presence of Jesus’ blood that will show us the way when we repent of our sins and turn to Him again.  The world’s job is to deceive or to cheapen the blood of Christ and to mock its eternal powers.  It is the job of Satan and his seed to lie to us about options and what the Word of God said according to other sources.  The ONLY source of information concerning our eternal blood covering comes from God’s Word and every letter that it contains.  God has shared with us many times before that His Word is our life and our source of life and we all know that if we do not have blood, the real blood we cannot function in even one capacity.

Church, you are anemic for you have allowed the world and its ruler to bleed you dry and to refill you with fake results.  Your anemia is growing each day and your vitality is continually slipping simply because you have been allowed to be provided with manipulated results from people and being that cares nothing for you.  You act like a weak bystander on a street corner which has no direction, hope, or life remaining.  It is time you stop choosing the world and recognize that the only way that your vitality will return is to get back under the blood of Christ and to know what each “cell” of His blood means for your life.  Study God’s Word concerning this matter and it will become clear to you that something is wrong, and one shall find out the exact reason why things are wrong.  God loves you and has provided a secure way through His Word so that we may understand exactly what Jesus’ blood means to our existence.  God provided this way, mankind did NOT!  Return to God and allow Him to transform our lives through the true results of the blood of Christ.  It was shed for a very special reason, you!

DLB

Fighting For Grace

Fighting For Grace

3/26/17

How much do we know about grace and what God did for us so that we may live under this covering?  How many of us take grace for granted and toy with this truth?  Do we even respect grace enough to conform our lives under its truth so that we may refer to it as Grace instead of grace?  It is a proven fact that God gave us this covering at a high, high price for that is how important His concerns are for us, so why cannot we deem His Grace important enough to return the same respect to Him?  Jesus would come back to earth all over again if God asked Him, but because of the high price that Jesus paid when He was here the first time, the second visit will not be one of sacrifice but one of a triumphant return through the lineage of Grace.

A few years back I experienced an event that still both haunts me and brings me joy at the same time.  It is a personal story that occurred one evening and while the majority of these personal events were physical there were some spiritual aspects that still blow my mind when I think about it.  The event takes place in two neighborhoods, one in my own and the other in my parent’s yet while both instances played out at different times, they both connect during that evening.  The spiritual aspect is the one that is hard to explain for many of us would skip it but it is a process that if thought about for some time cannot be explained away.

The first event that took place occurred over at my parent’s house after the sun had gone down and things seemed to be in the quiet mode.  We were watching a movie at the house when the phone rang.  It was one of my parent’s neighbors calling and saying that my parent’s house alarm had gone off and that it was on for a few minutes but then ceased.  My parents were out of town and the neighbors know to call me if anything goes on that is “alarming” at their house.  My wife paused the movie both of us put decent clothes on and then drove over to see what had triggered the alarm.  When we got to the house no such indication was on the alarm pad that the alarm had been triggered.  We spent over a ½ an hour combing through every room in their house and found no sign of wrongdoing or any evidence that the alarm went off.  We called mom and dad anyway and told them about the incident, they immediately called the alarm company and the company representative stated that they had no indication that their alarm had been tripped.

We then closed up shop again and double checked the area once more before setting the alarm again and proceeded to drive back across town to our home.  We could not figure out why this had occurred and both of us continued to stew about the incident for the rest of the evening; in fact, it was hard to concentrate on the movie for such thoughts running through our minds.  The remaining evening was uneventful with the exception that it was about an hour past our bedtime.  Bonnie went upstairs to help our high school student out with some project in her room and I was just doing some goofing off things until I was ready to go to bed.  The office is on the lower level, the main floor comes next and then the upstairs where the two of three bedrooms are.  As I reached the main floor I looked out the large window of the living room and noticed a small flicker of light behind the curtains of the house across the street.  At that second I did not think too much about it for there was almost always some type of colored light on after the curtains were drawn.

I quickly bypassed any more thought about what my eyes saw across the street until I made my way up to the bedroom and looked out the window of the bedroom and saw a more distinguishable light flickering behind the curtain, and through the curtain.  It was obvious that a fire had started in that room and was not being attended to properly.  Now, I did not really know all the details of the family that lived in that house but I did know a few things concerning their habits and as soon as my eyes and brain focused on what was transpiring I had a good idea of what had occurred.  I immediately told Bonnie to call 911 and say that there was a fire on our street, she did.  I put my shoes back on and ran out the door.  My eyes saw that the fire was quickly spreading in the old house for it was now coming out of the window as soon that the glass shattered. 

I saw the son of the mother come walking out which confirmed that at least one person would be getting out that night.  A problem child he was up until that evening but at that moment it did not matter, I wanted everyone to be out of the house.  It was clear that the fire would engulf the old house before the fire department arrived and since I knew who lived there and how many would be inside I did not have to worry too much about others inside.  The son came out and I immediately grabbed him and started walking away from the house, sat him on the concrete wall at the end of the driveway and asked him if his mother was still inside.  He mumbled yes and as I told him to sit there and not move the first oxygen tank exploded which prompted me to get him up and move him across the street.  This took a bit more time than I wished because the fire inside was quickly spreading and I knew if I did not get back over there his elderly mother would be trapped. 

As I sat him down again I again told him to stay there and as I began to run back over and he asked me if I could get his cigarettes and oxygen tank.  I ignored that question and continued my run and as soon as I got ½ way up the driveway the mother appeared from the front door.  I grabbed her too by the arm and we walked across the street all the while I was asking if there was anyone else in the house as the first police car arrived.  I informed the police officer that all occupants were out but I did not have time to notify their next door neighbors of what was going on, for I was in constant battle with the son trying to keep him sat down and entering back in the house to get his cigarettes, a process in which I found very frustrating. 

As the fire engine sirens approached our neighborhood awoke and began making sure everyone else was safe and free of harm, just as a community should act.  The fire was put out after a while and the festivities died down as the onlookers finally showed up.  I looked at the scene and could not help but wonder why things happened as they did but it was at that moment that God dropped a message in my heart concerning what had occurred.  What He stated was that if Bonnie and I had not been interrupted and had not gone over to my parent’s house for that time, we would have been in bed and the people’s lives across the street could have been affected differently.  I have no idea how their lives would have changed but in some manner important to them and to their family, along with the neighbors involved, things might have gone differently if we were not still up that night.  I am by no means trying to beef up my ego or place any heroic status over myself, just stating what transpired that evening.  And why does this story concern fighting for grace?

I have not really thought much about that night some years ago, and as time has passed my thoughts of it have grown more distant, that is until this morning when on my way to work God dropped this message and this event into my heart.  God shared with us a while back about the violence of grace and how important it was that Jesus went through all of the agonizing settings that He did in order for us to receive the eternal grace needed in the eyes of God.  Yet, over time we have watered down this grace and placed into our hearts as a story that occurred long ago without having absolute authority and direct meaning.  We have become glazed with the world that we have forgotten the rawness of Jesus’ act for our eternity and have placed it in the back of our heart’s shelf instead of it being the standard by which we live.

If we really comprehended the truth about what God’s Word says about Jesus and His obedience to His Father concerning this eternal event, we would have no problem in identifying grace with the exact same sacrificial manner that Jesus did.  Jesus defended this act by giving Himself willingly for our eternity.  Jesus is the ONLY one that could have accomplished this act and He fought for our lives on that day like never before.  Is not Jesus the One that we are supposed to be serving and being a witness for to the dying world?  So, why don’t we fight for the Grace we live under as He fought to provide and to fulfill such a covering?

It sickens me to watch churches defend the world and its death procedures on a daily basis all the while throwing out the standards of God at the same time.  This can only be a reflection of what lies within our hearts and how we truly feel about God and His Will over and for our lives.  I strongly believe that if we love something we shall fight for it and as for me and my house shall defend and promote the God of Israel and His Son until we take our last breath.  But when you look at the world and many Christians, what do you see them defending?  Lies, sexual miscalculations, worldly life and any other article of secular clothing that they can place on their bodies, minds, and hearts is what they fight for.  Yes, they are fighting but their fight is not to stay under the Grace that Jesus provided, but for their own grace in the eyes of the world.

God did not promise a bed of roses if we chose Him and His Ways.  All throughout the Bible, we study people’s lives being turned upside down because of the choices that they made, both on the individual level and nation level.  It is through this toughness that Grace was given to us and it should be through this same type of toughness that we should fight for Grace.  Grace is a direct product of God’s Kingdom and the sole instrument by which we are redeemed, how dare we prostitute it down to a worldly level!  It is now and here that God showed me exactly why He wanted me to share this article with you and it is all because we have fallen into the same trap of unbelief as our neighbors across the street did.  I am not demeaning them or their existence in any manner; however, there is a condition here that needs to be made aware of and taken to heart for it is the same condition that this nation and the majority of the world harbors in their hearts.

We have for too long lived in our worldly habits that we now do not even realize that we have problems that will end life as we know it if not corrected immediately.  While no one died in the house fire that evening, the son of the house suffered from an end stage illness which through the process of the house burning, advanced his death to approximately two weeks after the fire. While the mother did not suffer much physical damage from the fire, her mental anguish was devastating for her entire possessions in life went up in flames.  The world that she knew about for decades was now changed forever and once she left that neighborhood, she would never return to it again to live.  Does this story and its end result bring back to anyone’s memory of a couple of examples that occurred in the Bible?

I thank God every day that no one perished in that fire and up until this morning I did not put the connection together about Grace and what lesson was learned that evening.  I do not know why God waited for years down the road to show me this truth but His timing is impeccable as always.  When I went over and risked my life to make sure those two people were out and safe it represented a caring person who wanted nothing to come about a life.  I knew that their possessions would not survive but I did not care about those articles, only their lives.  What one considered to be important to him was a mere obstacle that had no meaning at that moment, only his life meant something.  It is through this act that God provided Grace for us because He understands just how important life is and it is His job to provide us with every bit of truth so that we choose His Grace and not the lies of the world.

I could have stood outside and watched the house burn and did nothing to ensure that the neighbors were out in time.  No one would have said anything bad about my non-action and while some questions may have been asked in the eyes of the locals I would have done nothing wrong.  God could have chosen to allow Jesus to continue to walk this earth and since He had a perfect and unblemished bloodline while He was on earth, just might be alive today but in truth the choice aspect of God would have been taken out of the equation and a look of slavery and obligation to serve Him would be put into place.  This is the definition of Grace and how we should have the will to fight for such a protection over us.  We cannot change our lives in any manner, for I am still a sinner and you are still a sinner.

Grace is given to us through the shedding of Jesus’ blood on the cross, through the beatings that He suffered with at the hands of the soldiers, along with the piercing crown of thorns on His head and not to mention the spear thrust in His side – an act I find intriguingly prophetic and comparative to the act that God did to create the female.  All in told Jesus endured these acts because He loved you and me, people who do not deserve any place in God’s home and heart, yet He did so to be with us for eternity.  To say that we are just living under Grace and at the same time not pursuing God with all of our hearts is a lie.

God wants us to understand that if we accept His Grace in our lives that He is faithful and just to keep a watch over our lives.  God understands that we are in a dire setting because of what and who we are but when we thumb our noses and hearts at the One who can change our lives, we place ourselves in a greater incidence for disaster.  I have no idea if what my actions did the night of the fire changed any of the hearts of the family living in that house, but I do know that this message that God has shared with us is designed for us to think about our lives in the same manner as the lives of that family.  God also understands that if we continue to live as such our lives will be turned inside out through a set of serious devastations that will not only alter our nation but the entire course of the world.  It is the responsibility of the Church to provide this truth and warning to those who are in need of peace, healing, truth, tranquility and happiness.  God has allowed such devastating acts to occur to His beloved and uniquely created nation of Israel, so what makes us believe that He will not do the same today?

Why can’t we fight for this Grace as Jesus did?  If we are doing what Jesus commanded us to do properly, we should fight with this type of love and enthusiasm as Jesus did.  Walking in the Bible is not a game or a presentation that has no meaning, yet we believe as such and it is through our actions that we are projecting this lie to the world.  It is time for us to study closer the Word of God and to listen to the voice of God, then OBEY His voice for not only was it through Jesus’ love for us that He died for us but also it was His obedience to His Father that provided the necessary covering for His children.  We have no choice but to fight for this Grace and when God means to fight for His Grace that means to understand its content fully and to proclaim its life and light to the dying world.

DLB

Kingdoms Defined

Kingdoms Defined

3/25/17

Many people who have attended church know that there are two eternal entities that are vying for our lives.  There are just as many people who have attended church who do not believe this truth and still fight what God’s Word says concerning this immortal and eternal existence.  We must consider that God gave us talents that we are to use in order to understand many things about this life, and this usage includes knowing what His Word is for our lives.  In this understanding, we cannot allow the enemy to selfishly place ideas in our hearts concerning the Bible, but we must continually place God’s Word into our hearts according to His divine presence of truth.  There are two kingdoms that want possession of your eternity but while the paths differ greatly the choice to follow a certain path is still ours to make; however, we need to remember that there are only two paths to take.

How can anyone follow a parental guideline if they do not first understand what is expected from them?  Parents often find themselves directing children after something has gone wrong or the child has placed themselves in a situation in which they did not understand was an issue.  When this state occurs, we parents find ourselves feeling horrible and thankful at the same time for while we “beat” ourselves up for not explaining details to our children we are glad that nothing ugly came about when the specifics arose.  I have to place myself into this category because while I tried my best to teach my girls as much as I could about the world, there are still aspects that they have to deal with that I missed or did not even recognize myself.  It is our responsibility to teach our children the ways of God for it is His path that will provide true peace and happiness, but I know that I still have my days of doubt concerning this subject when I see all of the areas that I did not cover.

The majority of the population of the world knows that there is a good side of things and a bad side of things, and we as humanity have the ability to decide to obey these settings or to redefine them according to our own selfish lusts.  It is not too difficult that we are in the redefining mode and that if those who do not agree with our motives are placed in a category of undesirables and labeled as such in the public eye.  We have obscured the truth and made it conditional according to our beliefs yet have forgotten that once a pattern is set it will only become expanded when the next generation arrives, a dangerous setting if allowed to run its unabated course.  This type of living conditions is easily noticed for some and then rejected by others, but on either side, when challenged it is the integrity of those on each side that is weighted not only by the public but by our Creator as well.

The line drawn begins in our hearts and then becomes subject and formed as our life grows.  What if this line is only taught in one direction, or is offered as the only one choice in the matter, while the other side is automatically left out of the choices?  What occurs when this one-sidedness is presented?  Do we understand that this one and the only option is based upon lies and is subject to death as the only result?  Why do we bother even contending that life is extraordinary and should be lived as such if this death pattern is the only one being taught?  And why is it that we toss out the most significant truth concerning our lives and label those who accept the truth as outsiders and troublemakers?  All of these questions and hundreds more like them can be answered if we only would take the Bible seriously and understand that there really is two kingdoms that are vying for your eternal position.

This two kingdom truth is actually mentioned in the Bible and it is mentioned while God is speaking concerning the decisions of Satan, Adam and Eve after all had participated in the induction of sin into our lives, otherwise known as choosing sin over obedience.  This example of boundaries is mentioned in Genesis 3:15 when the verse states the following: “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”  It is also through this verse that defines who is in control over all activity as well, in either kingdom, a process which sometimes is difficult for our human minds to grasp as to why things occur.

First and foremost God establishes domination right from the beginning of this verse when He speaks that “I” will put enmity. The word “I” is very singular and personal and there can be no mistake who orchestrated this command and boundary, for it is God speaking in this verse.  With God being a complete God and showing that He is in control over this situation we must also understand that since He made the rules of the Garden He will continue this course afterward as well.  The next logical question becomes is this: what is He putting or setting into motion?  We know that the word enmity means division or separation and in this case, it is a boundary to which one has against another entity.  Through this statement by God, we can see that there will be a division between mankind and Satan and that these two sides will be in conflict with each other which is spoken into existence when God states “and between thy seed and her seed;”.

Who is considered to be Satan’s seed?  When Lucifer fell he took 1/3^rd of the angels with him.  This means that 1/3^rd of the angels created by God left heaven and followed Lucifer when he was cast from his place.  God is all inclusive here which means that if the leader falls and has consequences so does the ones who follow, on the other hand, the ones who follow God and choose to serve Him also follow suit of their Leader as well.  We cannot ignore that at some point in Lucifer’s timeline he was one with God and then at a specific point broke away from that unity, hence his seed.  It is here in this verse that God defines Satan’s goal and kingdom for God lets it be known for all future generations that the one being who tricked humanity into sin has a goal that goes against humanity on all levels.  It is also through this verse that if the woman’s seed is alive then that means Satan’s seed is also alive, a truthful concept that we love to ignore; remember, God, shall never compare apples to oranges.

This is Satan’s seed and definition of his purpose for our lives – kingdom.  In order for his kingdom to advance, he must reap his goals, which is the death and separation from God, just as he performed in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve.  This means that everything that Satan stands for must go against God and what He stands for, which means that there can not be any question of mixing of the two kingdoms on any level.  God does not say that some of the things of Satan would be compatible with mankind and does not mention any cooperation with us either, just that his seed would be against us.  If something is defined as such of a possession, property, or goal then it is can be assumed that the person or being that holds of such stated items could say that it would be theirs.  What is the old saying and gag, possession is 9/10ths of the law?  Apply this idea to what God is saying here in this verse and it will become clear exactly what Satan believes he can accomplish with the leash that God has put him on.

With this truth about Satan and his realm defined it is easy for us to recognize who his targets will be and are currently.  Anyone or any deed that is deemed to be an accolade of God is a prime target for Satan and his followers.  In eternal terms, Satan has nothing to lose since his eternity is already set due to his choices against God but he also understands that he has time to “win” over as many people as possible through his lies to keep them from living in purity for eternity.  An interesting truth occurs here as well, when Satan’s wishes for God’s prized creations has not changed from the time he entered into the Garden of Eden until the very day that you read this article, his goal has not changed and he has not provided any other proof that he wishes for you to be together with God.  Every plan that he and the world have to offer you differs completely – not some or partial – from God. 

So the other side of the aisle must belong to God and His Kingdom for even though mankind had allowed sin to enter into their lives God was not about to just give up and end all things due to this event.  On the contrary, for we learned a while back that God created us in a very unique way with our status being physical first and then His Spirit immediately after and it is through this specific creation order that allows for us to live and to choose God therefore not become a slave to a defeated enemy.

So, what makes up the Kingdom of God and how is it advanced?  The angels that did not rebel with Lucifer and chose to stay with God saw exactly what occurred when he and his followers fell, what a sight that must have been.  God’s perfect creations, humans, and most importantly God Himself make up the seed of woman which would include God’s own Son at a later period of time.  Adam had it right when he named Eve the mother of all living for that name itself defines the essence of God, life.  Any form of life-giving practice is an advancement of God’s Kingdom and this simple detail is what our enemy battles so drastically against on all levels.  Satan understands, unlike many of us, that when a living and breathing human is created each one has a potential of figuring out that God is all supreme and that with their presence on earth can be a living testimony to that truth.

The word seed used in this verse, on both issues means the exact same, descendants.  God has told us that in order for there to be descendants they must be alive and active; therefore, both kingdoms are alive and active and are in constant battle for supremacy, once again God cannot compare apples against oranges.  We know that as long as there are people walking on the earth God has the opportunity to work with people who wish to live out His Word and proclaim the Gospel to a dying world.  In this command from Jesus, I find it intriguing that He uses the word the “world” which means that He is referring to everyone and not just a select few.  This is the definition of what Kingdom means and while it is our responsibility to advance the Kingdom of God our enemy has the same “responsibility” to keep people from seeing the truth.  The question now remains is this: which kingdom is winning the battle for their “lands” and dominion?

By the looks of things that answer is pretty self-illuminating and I use the word “self” as a source of definition of who is winning and gaining most ground.  The Church has shut her doors to God and the Holy Spirit by welcoming the world into her walls and then not teaching them about sin.  The Church has lost her authority over death and the world almost right from the beginning of her establishment, do not believe me?  Then read and study the New Testament epistles and one will understand why they were written.  The concept of Kingdom has been in play ever since the Garden of Eden and the seeds of both sides of the battle are still very much active.  One of the most sickening things to God is that we have allowed Satan’s counterintelligence agents to infiltrate our lives so much that their information of lies cannot even be detected as falsities.  Kind of reminds you of how in depth Satan had already penetrated Adam and Eve’s lives in order for them to disobey God’s one and only command.

The concept of Kingdom and which one is being advanced is no laughing matter and it cannot be denied, for if any one of those beliefs is allowed to fester in our hearts we have already taken a step backward and place the battle at a stalemate.  The only way that we will know how to combat our enemy effectively is to understand exactly what is going on around us and WHO the enemy actually is.  God’s Word says we cannot be on both sides and that one side must be chosen, it is this verse in Genesis that defines and explains the reason why we cannot serve two masters.  God cannot accept double agents, no matter how much Satan and the world say differently. 

God did not create this kingdom as to be one that plays second fiddle to a defeated ruler and lousy land owner.  God created this kingdom in order to provide the eternal proof that God loves what He created no matter what we have done.  Life is the answer to defeat and death so it is natural for us to be the key instrument in the advancement of God’s Kingdom.  it is of God’s ultimate desire for us to know and to live in absolute freedom and He has provided us the perfect guideline in order for us to advance this perfect setting so that others may know the truth as well.  God has not left out the details of our enemy either, for if He would have He could not have been the everlasting truth that gives eternal life.  On the other side of the issue God shall never force our choice in choosing Him, it is strictly up to us and if we do not exercise this option the enemy automatically advances, simple as that.  It boils down to the fact that we are either a seed of death or a seed of life and there can be no in-between status.

In this truth, it is clear that we have a job to do with our existence on this earth.  We do not really have a choice in the matter for if we choose one kingdom we advance its purpose no matter if we declare our participation or not.  Both leaders of the kingdoms want your participation for their cause, one Kingdom is steady on all levels and has been proved holy and just throughout the ages.  The other kingdom is wishy-washy at best and while it offers an earthly “fun” time it can represent nothing but destruction through the lies of a fallen loser.  God has given us a definition of dominion and now Kingdom and it is our responsibility to understand the pertinent implications of such habitation.  God offers only a restored dominion that He gave us long ago, the very place that we identify as our own.  Satan only wishes to take your dominion away and use it against you for his kingdom and from the looks of things he has pretty much had an easy ride in completing such legal paperwork.

God’s Word is all about God’s plan of restoration for your life.  No one has ever argued the fact that when someone fights for a cause it does not come easy.  Satan has the home field advantage over the earth but God has the eternal advantage on His side.  It is still our choice to choose Him or not, all of us are looking for restoration of something why don’t we include our spiritual portions of our lives in this searching.  The playing field has been laid before our eyes the question now is which side of eternity shall you play for?  It is all about Kingdom and whose we shall advance.  God cannot change the rules in order to make a better play, but the end rewards are simply unimaginable.  See, there can be no mistake that each of the two kingdoms represents a seed, and Genesis 3:15 defines whose seed is going to be advanced.  One huge hint is also given in this single verse and it is given when God speaks and says that the woman’s seed shall bruise your head which means that God’s Kingdom shall not be defeated when the time comes for you to answer for your own dominion.

This message from God is not intended to divide by any means but to allow us the knowledge of what is actually at stake and what our enemy is doing for our lives.  One of the greatest desires of mankind is to have a reason for living and when we find this reason it brings such joy and happiness to our lives.  It is this kingdom principle that provides us with this process of self-value and direction and until we understand that this principle directs our lives in every way possible, we will continue to stumble around like we are walking in a pitch black enclosed room.  So, since this verse is true, we have the choice to continue to walk around bumping into each other in the darkness or we can choose to turn on the eternal light and push back the source of all our troubles.

It also would be easy to label people who do not live in or understand Kingdom principles as being “evil” and the cause for such devastation in our history and in present day but as we all know that not all people who know God and wish to live under His Covenant fit into this evil category just as there are people who consider themselves to be “Christians” and do not live “good” and upstanding lives either.  It is this truth that amplifies the reason why we must understand what is exactly going on around us and who is one what side of the aisle.  The two kingdoms that are vying for your eternity shall NEVER mix in any capacity, and according to this single verse shall NEVER have the ability to do so either.  It is this truth that we must take a hold of and not further separate ourselves from each other but to inform those who do not understand this Kingdom principle of what God is crying out for us to grasp concerning His Word.  This knowledge is the only thing that shall bring everyone unity and togetherness that we all deep down desire to share.

It is through this Kingdom principle that Jesus lived by when He walked the earth and which He still functions through today.  It is Jesus’ existence that is fulfilled in Genesis 3:15 and is the SOLE reason He gave us the authority and the command to go into the world and preach and teach the gospel to the dying world.  In addition, Jesus’ commands and life that are recorded in the New Testament, in our hearts, and through our lives as God’s children further prove that these two kingdoms are alive and well in our world today.  Church, once again God is calling you to drop your selfish resonations and earthly habits and return to His ways on ALL levels and accords.  It is not our place to align ourselves with the world but to shed light onto the world so that it may see and understand their dark living conditions.

DLB

The Beginning, The Middle, and The End

The Beginning, The Middle, and The End

3/20/17

Daily there are claims from millions of people that the Bible has no reference to our lives and that it is a book that should be tossed aside and deemed fiction.  As each day passes this conceptual lie grows and defines countless numbers of people.  The truth of our lives lies within this eternal Word and we should study its content with enthusiasm because it provides all the answers that we need to have an abundant life.  From the first word of the Bible until the last our definition resides so it is logical that both sides of our eternity should be at war involving our content.  God has not only provided us with His Word about Him but also has given to us a description of what He designed our lives to be.  The Word of God is alive and shall be the One true source of information about our lives and until we understand that the Bible is for us and not against us, we will continue to slide into the darkness.

To begin this message God asks us to allow Him to speak to each one of you in a personal manner for it is through this book that our entire existence depends upon and it is the source that provides the truth that all of us are in search of.  God has mentioned to us many times before that our lives are very important to Him and that He created each one of us to have a purpose for His Kingdom.  How can we go on our ways without understanding what our Creator has in store for our existence, no wonder the enemy has overtaken our lives with such diversity in our physicality of persons, it is his way of controlling our presence on earth with slavery conditions to his kingdom?  God provides – an action verb and an active verb – the ultimate guide for us to live by and to understand that all of us have a beginning, a middle, and an end which all determine where our eternity shall remain which proves as to why God gave us His Word as a guide and not as a punishment. 

When the Bible begins it starts with a process of darkness and then one by one the accounts of life are brought forth in a manner in which our physical minds can wrap around.  While not every detail can be readily explained, we can grab the gist of what God did in those early days of our creation through the story of how He started with nothing and ended with a beautiful and perfect creation upon which He looked it over and saw that it was good.  Now, coming from a being that is perfect and holy in all areas of His existence, having the written proof that He saw His creations and they were good means a great deal about how they were made. 

Being a part of the Church family for all my life, for a long time, I honestly believed that I knew a great deal about the book of Genesis, how God created everything, and what they meant to our lives.  But as God has remolded and reshaped my heart through His writings that He has given me, I have learned that I basically know just the surface of what His Word has for my life, this too being a “beginning” for me and one that has watered and provided spiritual food for my heart and all around existence ever since.  This is a growing process in which God is trimming and also dressing His dominion according to His command in the Garden of Eden, a painful experience at times but well worth it for the fruit of His work is being fulfilled for others to receive.  It is this detailed process which gives us the first picture of new life that was created in a specific manner by God and then after a certain period of time, another process of great trial enters the picture and is promoted as our current setting and living conditions today.

Jumping forward we come to the point in which the last book of the Bible contains a vast information trove that confuses many people and for most causes and states a place where total and complete destruction reigns.  The picture painted here is hard to imagine and one that while hope is mentioned takes a backseat to the events that humanity continually has to endure.  This unscientific method of engaging what occurs during this period of time throws the entire world into a complex setting in which every type of madness, hatred, and destruction comes into play.  It seems like the entire world has plunged itself into an uncontrollable chaos yet if one understands what really is transpiring they know that it was directed and allowed by the same Eternal Being hat began the process millennia earlier, and is STILL in control of what is allowed to come to pass.

Does this setting sound familiar to anyone?  It should, because what the book of Revelation shows us is a general picture of a person dying and what usually occurs when such an event occurs.  Death is never an easy subject to deal with, or even talk about for that matter but it is one that all of us will have to face one day unless God intervenes in our lives somehow.  But the question still remains concerning how the world ended up in this chaotic spot, well beyond any type of repair, a placemat of destruction that cannot be denied or ignored yet seemingly not being able to touch either.  While the words of Revelation haunt us, it says to us about a society that has received what they sowed which is the product of what occurred during their life, the middle portion of their existence, the part where growth occurs and dividends are placed into the public eye.

Ah, yes, the middle portion of the Bible represents many colorful characteristics in which people love to argue about.  From the time we begin to seek out life and survival in this world we continually look for those surroundings that would provide a friendly and comfortable, a welcoming ground for our humble abode.  But quickly we realize that the events, people, and opportunities around us do not provide this comfort and produce hardships beyond belief instead.  This brings us to searching out for those who are like minded or close in proximity to our understanding with wishy-washy results at best.  We have two options in this search, one that beholds the truth of the world or transmits the truth of eternal life God’s Word.  There is a boatload of information that occurs in the “middle” of the Bible, so much so that this information alone would take a lifetime to study and pass over once.

It is this information that represents how people live and how they grow during this time period in their lives.  It is the active part of the tribes of Israel, the Greeks, Romans, Jews and Gentiles all rolled into a group of letters that God handpicked regular people with abundant hearts to convey the entire message of God concerning life.  It is this portion of the Bible that contains all of the essential tools needed in order for us to combat our eternal enemy, tell others through example about God, and both general and specific information how to approach and go through each day that we take a breath.  This portion of the Bible cannot be understood with just one reading, it must be studied continuously and referred to over and over again in order for us to figure out what God is showing us and why He is showing us things.

Every aspect of our lives can be found in these middle portions of God’s Word.  It does not matter what topic one wishes to know about or to receive instructions about, it is all inclusive with answers to life’s problems as well.  It is a defensive portion, it is an offensive portion, it is even one that guides one to know when to be still and wait.  This portion of God’s Word is one that contains births, deaths and the lessons learned as one person or a nation travels along the ways of existence, it does not leave out the bad parts of living either.  All truths and experiences about life can be found in the middle portion of the Bible.  Why is this information a true claim and presentation from God?  Because we understand that the Bible was given to us as a guide for our lives and what occurs in our lives and most importantly how to live through them we can then live life abundantly as the Bible promises.  I understand that not everyone in this world will adhere to what God is saying, but for those who will recognize that the Bible is their own personal life source things will be totally different in your daily walk.

As we look at some of the harsh stories unfold throughout the bible it is easy for us to claim that God is a menace and that His Word is filled with grotesque settings for people.  But when we put together the entire Bible and apply its words to our hearts we can recognize that it all comes down to obedience.  I do not know about you but when I obeyed my parents and the guidelines that they set for the household my life was soo much easier and healthier.  It is this personal revelation of my life that I only can find in the Bible, it did not matter if my parents would have beaten the Bible into my heart but it was through my choice alone to live by God’s Word that I found true freedom and life.

While the beginning and the end of the Bible are important details of our existence it is the middle portion that gives the complete picture of what I am supposed to be and do.  The beginning of the Bible contains so much information about how my life began and how I was created, just as you.  But this information cannot sustain my life by itself and it cannot give me any true help when trials and tribulations present themselves.  The same goes for everyone else that walks the earth as well, for God loves everyone and not just some and it is His desire to see all of us live according to His ways which display and portrays holiness, peace, tranquility and prosperity all wrapped up in His Word of Life.

The end of the Bible gives us an overview of what occurs when we do not listen to God and obey His ways, the picture drawn for us is not a pretty one and not much good comes out of it for the majority of the world’s population.  Revelation 21 is a short summary of the entire Bible and it proclaims the life of God as being the only way to true eternity, but as each one of us knows we have to face this death grip and answer its call at some point in time.  But as Revelation 21 claims this summary it also claims the personal story of you and I as well for the Bible was given to all humanity, not just a select few.  The end of Revelation commands that we understand the middle portion of the Bible and the beginning of it as well and it forces us to recognize that the middle portions of God’s Word describe our lives themselves and how we decide to live it is determined just as all of the examples and stories were played out.

So, we can see the importance of the beginning of the Bible for without it all mankind would not be able to have a solid and holy foundation for us to hold on to when things come our way.  We also are fortunate to have an ending for it allows us to understand that at some point in time we shall see our maker face to face.  But most importantly the middle of the Bible gives us plenty of settings to which our hearts can be shaped and if we understand that God’s Word is for us and not against us, our eternal setting will be set in stone when our day of leaving this earth arrives.  In many aspects the Bible is not a scientific reference and there is a huge reason for this, if it were not many people would be able to understand its content on a personal basis, but the Bible is God’s Word to mankind which every human has the ability to think and to reason out what is being said to them.  It is our eternal enemy that seeks to destroy us by lying to us and twisting and watering down what God has to say for our lives. 

Wake up Church and open your hearts to what God is saying to us.  Time is running short and it is our responsibility to teach the nations of this good news!  We cannot afford to whimsically sit around and candy coat the message of the Bible for its content is written for each and every one of us.  God loves us and He wants us to know that we can bypass many of these problems that we are dealing with if we only turn to Him and study His Word as we walk and breathe.  The world shall not be a friend to us, only a death march because the road may look large and easy but at the end of the highway you will not find what you are looking for.  That longing and search for truth can only come from God and it is found only in His Word, the beginning, the middle and the end.  We are at the forefront of explaining what our lives mean according to the bible, as in the middle portion of God’s Word.  For you see, the beginning has already been completed and our ending has also been projected, but it is what we do with the middle portion of God’s Word that determines our eternal, and it is the eternal that is the most vital portion of our existence.

DLB