Empty Inside

Empty Inside

 

6/28/20

 

 

 

 

For most of the western world, beauty and the outside appearance is the most important feature one craves, for it identifies us in each respective society and it proclaims where our hearts are located.  It does not matter what our inner being says or cares about, just has the perfect subject matter of the day covered and all shall be okay.  How empty of a person or group do we have to be before we fall and break apart?  The world shall never care about what your inner heart beats for, it only wants lip service so it can pass its agenda onto the next person it comes in contact with.  God has a better life for you and one that is so deep and personal that all things will be known to those who seek His name.  It is this inner fulfillment that God intended for us to have and is the sole reason He Created us, for the advancement of His Kingdom, not sin.  Living empty one shall have no joy or peace for it is contrary to God’s ordained condition He has for us and according to the New Testament the Church has fallen right into line with this philosophy too; the day shall come that we will have to stand and account for our lives, will they be empty or full?

 

On most days, I try and take my lunch to work.  Not because the food at the cafeteria is bad or anything but because I know exactly how much sugar my family uses in their food preparations and since I am a diabetic I want this level to be controlled as much as possible.  So, of course, we have leftovers which serve my purpose for lunch the next few days quite well.  The other day I was in the process of preparing my lunch and I grabbed a small round container from the counter.  I have often used this small container because it is small enough to put in my lunch box plus it is a sturdy container that does not look worn out or well used yet is light enough not to become a heavy burden when toting the lunch box around.  I sure do not want anything to leak out during the time I close my lunch box until the time I open it for lunch, so the sturdiness characteristic is a must; a perfect fit.  So I had the small empty container sitting on the table next to my empty lunch box and I began to fill my lunch box with the next day’s dried foods.  I had to pick up the lunch box and reposition it because I had found out that I had placed it close enough to the edge of the table that if I filled it too much that it would fall off the table and make a mess on the floor, then I would have to explain to Bonnie why food was all over the floor.  I picked up the lunch box and the handle barely brushed up against the empty container sitting beside it and when it did the container toppled over and took two complete rotations on the table before it finally came to rest.

 

The Lord immediately showed me the content of this article and the reasoning behind it because in the end, it is not the importance of what our outside appearances may look like, it is the content within our lives that make all the difference when trials and tricks come our way.  There was nothing wrong with either the container or the lunch box as long as neither one moved or bumped by the other.  But when the handle just touched the container going in an upward motion, the weight of the container was no match for the adverse treatment.  What was so fascinating to me was that as stated before, it was not a hard blow or a forceful one at all, but one that literally barely touched the container that toppled it on its lid.  An important lesson about how the world tells us to live versus how God and His Living Word shows us how to live, this example God is giving us today for God understands that if you have nothing inside your heart it is ripe for toppling when the world decides to come knocking.  The result of this simple example would have been totally different if that small container had some subsistence within its confines, it would have stood the test without any issues, but its superficial existence could not withstand the simplest challenge.

 

 

John 4:9-14

 

“Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, asketh drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria?  For the Jews have no dealings with the Samarians.  Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.  The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou this living water?  Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?  Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”

 

 

For the most part, many of us understand this passage of Scripture is one of redemption and restoration between ethnic lines, while both were related to each other they continued the resentment and hatred for each other due to the cultural establishment of their races.  But here we have another beautiful testimony of recognition by God concerning what flows within our lives, or in this case does not flow within our lives.  This example that is given to us tells us that God sees way deeper than what the physical eye does and is far more concerned about what is inside our lives instead of the outside.  There are so many people walking around on this earth that may seem to have it all together by their physical appearance but in truth they are empty shells for nothing eternal or everlasting resides within their hearts and this illuminating vessel promotes effortless gains through an empty content of life.  This is actually a power stance from the world for it likes your surface to be fulfilled and as long as it stands in accord with the world your true inner life shall be empty and meaningless; the perfect stance for Satan and his cronies ready for your thieving and destruction.

 

The world and its leader shall take what might seem to be a minute detail of difference and over time grow this difference into one of the most hurtful and dangerous pieces of division that destroy hearts not only from the past, but for the present and the future altogether.  The well that the woman and Jesus shared came from a common seed, and if you notice in this passage when the woman addresses this fact Jesus does not argue this point with her, for He knew it was true.  The woman also addresses the point that she was amazed that Jesus actually talked to her or even looked at her for that matter, because the small detail of disobedience generations before was still evident on both sides of the divisional lines.  But Jesus had a point to deliver to the woman, one of Truth about our inner lives, not just hers or even alone in her family and that point was that if people live for just the outside or the superficial they will be easily blown over when trials and tribulations come their way.  Also, Jesus does not leave the woman hanging there without an answer either; He tells her about her emptiness and then shows her how to be filled with a content that shall give her strength, not only for the present but for her future as well.

 

One cannot argue the fact that the world believes the more the merrier concept.  According to this passage, the woman that Jesus talks with should have been filled with so much joy because she had five husbands and she was with another one as well.  If you ask anyone who does not believe in the concept of holy matrimony and singleness means just that on all levels, then they will laugh at you when you suggest that more than one sexual partner is detrimental.  But what they do not understand is that is when this type of activity occurs, it leaves you empty when that partner leaves or disappears unnaturally or for any other worldly reason imaginable.  Jesus recognized this woman was empty inside and needed God in her life as the foundation and not the physicality of the world.  This is the world’s result and it shall fight for its control over territory that it already possesses because we all know the world loves a dry and dusty heart condition.

 

Scripture tells us that this earth shall pass away, which means it has no eternal placement within God, nor should it with us either.  The world is superficial and while it may be fun and exciting for the moment all worldly activities take a huge toll on our lives by draining us of what we need the most, truth.  Jesus always proclaimed and preached Truth according to His Father and His definition, He came to fulfill the Word and to be the example that everyone needs to have in order to be filled with the eternal content that defeats all troubles.  However, just as in the days when Jesus walked the earth, today we have accepted the lies of the world so much and have ingrained these lies deep within us so far down that we do not even see how vital that the message of Jesus and Salvation is to our lives.  It is for this deepened content of the world that we harbor within that makes us believe that Jesus was a pushover and while living a good life, His presence meant nothing more making His message another obstacle that we do not need.  See, that is what the Jewish society did with the Samaritans, they did not want to deal with their definition so they pushed them aside through added details they believed they had no time for; boy, look how much we have learned and incorporated that concept into our lives today.  Many see God and His Son as nothing more than a fairy tale which again proves that these precious people can only comprehend the superficial and not the sincere and deep truth; it is tough to heal when the space meant for Truth is blocked and log jammed with superficial ineptness of a defeated ruler.

 

Over and over, the Bible states that we have a purpose for our existence and since this repeated statement always comes from the heart of God, this purpose of ours is not superficial or empty.  We have fallen for the lie that we can just survive this world with our head down and mouths shut long enough to hope that our opinions stay off the radar and live according to this principle.  While we are “accomplishing” this task of ours, we fail to recognize just how this attitude and presentation is an abomination to our existence, God Creates everything in purity and fullness of His definition which means it cannot stand still or be idle on any level; overflowing if you wish to see it in this light.  When a container is full yet more contents are being introduced into its area, it has no choice but to overflow when the capacity is reached, this is how God operates and we all know what scenario occurs when we overfill a cup or container with what we are wanting inside that container.  Jesus reiterates this Truth through the words, He uses when addressing the woman concerning the water and how if mankind continues to search for this earthly or worldly water they shall always thirst for more but if they look to Him alone, He shall provide them with a source of living water (inside water) that will fill their containers to overflowing.

 

An angry person, group, or nation cannot represent anything else but emptiness.  Their actions prove that they have no gifts of the Spirit inside them which means they are searching for physical water only for their survival.  I am not leaving out any society or nation in this proclamation for it is God’s desire that all should live for eternity with Him and that no one should die in their sins (emptiness) and be separated from Him for eternity.  Look at all the unhappiness that surrounds our lives today, this nation – the supposed greatest nation that ever existed – is enthralled with daily upheaval and violence through selfish wants from those who believe they have it bad.  Worse, these people do not care about their actions either for they would rather be seen on a video across the world than to listen to other opinions that differ from theirs.  Anger fills the streets around the world and I am sad to say that we have lowered ourselves into that quality of equality that Israel saw in 1 Samuel 9 onward.  The praise for such violent reactions are appalling but what many do not realize is that our reactions and praises for such recorded events against others resemble the exact type of cheers we give at a sporting event or to sports figures when they “come through” at the end of a game.

 

So, what occurs to our inner beings after the protests are completed for the day and we jump into our vehicular transport systems and ride away?  We have nothing to reflect upon except for the empty actions that we just spent our energy on for that specific period of time.  In short, we are still empty and if the truth is known, we are even emptier if that is possible.  So, we pout and spend an enormous amount of future time thinking of more ways to empty ourselves out even more through our superficial actions, all the while ignoring the real way to restore our strength and inside capacities.  The passage for this article sums up the entire emptiness problem that we love to engage and to hold onto.  The most frightening position we can take is to believe that we can survive and thrive off of superficial emptiness the world brings.  We can NEVER forget that our container will dry up with emptiness at the same time we are asking ourselves about finding the truth to our existence.  Our containers have a certain amount of space, which is why God’s Word tells us that we can be filled to overflowing; on the other side of things, we cannot EVER forget that if we are not filled then our emptiness is just as deep.

 

As each day passes, the level of emptiness within our lives become more evident and the problem with this type of growth is that we do not recognize this pattern at all.  We are currently using up our resources in order to combat or in some cases protect our infrastructure and without even understanding what the true underlying source is.  This is a futile response and only one that shall act like Swiss cheese, but with one minor change, when one purchases Swiss cheese from the store the holes in the cheese do not move or grow but the ones we have are.  Interestingly, we have previously noticed that we have holes in our lives that need to be repaired, but deem other minor issues more important to try and fix while at the same time try to hold together the ever-growing larger bleeding holes with insufficient hands.  This insufficient manner to which we try and fix our own holes comes at the price of others for this is when the blame game becomes evident and loud toward the “blamed” ones.  This effort is the epitome of futility and defeat, the ultimate process that our enemy loves to see us hang from.  This passage says that Jesus is the only Way possible to be filled; this passage is one of the few that eternally correctly uses the word “I”, for it was Jesus who used it.

 

Where is the Church during all of this emptiness being displayed not only in individuals but in our nation as well?  She is too busy trying to stabilize herself in the balance between her relationship with the world and God.  So, in other words, she too has become empty enough to begin to become anemic in God’s blessings.  I have been a diabetic now for a little over a decade, and I have learned over this period of time that if I do not eat properly the foods that my body needs to survive or to function properly my energy and daily function are quickly drained.  This state is not one that serves me any good it actually hurts my body and shortens my life.  It is of the utmost importance that the Church remembers this Truth about God and His Ways for when we feed off the world and leave the Word of God out, our life drains quickly and we become useless to God and the perfect target for our enemy.  When anything becomes weak, they become unstable and can be toppled over without hardly any effort.  This is not how we were created to live or to believe in, we were made strong and courageous with the boldness that only comes from God Himself.  Let us return to this state of our Creation and once again fill our lives with the Word of God and in no time we shall be overflowing with His Goodness again to the world’s Salvation.

 

The good news here is that we do not have to live in emptiness; there is a Way to fill our lives with everything we need to survive as each day arrives.  However, unless we turn our hearts back to God and to choose Him instead of the ways of the world that we have harbored our lives shall continue to be broken just as the woman at the well was.  Plus, if we continue to live in such a manner, we have to recognize that the issues of our worldly choices that have been made before us shall also continue to increase and become deeper in nature, which shall produce broader pain and agony.  Jesus knew this woman was in pain due to the unsatisfied lifestyle she has incurred in her past; Jesus offered her eternal water to fill her emptiness.  This is what we need to be sharing with others, and we will be doing this when we are full of Jesus’ living water for it shall overflow and pour out on anyone around us automatically.  This is the True condition that we should be exemplifying to the world.  Then, and only then, shall we be fulfilling the command that Jesus gave to us to go into the world and preach the Gospel, but we can only do this when we are filled with Jesus and His living water.

 

 

 

 

 

 

DLB

The Camel's Needle

The Camel’s Needle

6/20/20

Most of us have heard about this saying with some even having it applied to our lives directly.  But while it is a popular saying that is used against many people, it really should not be one that is quickly determined to decimate people’s financial stability.  See, everything we do comes from the heart and through these actions originate our motives and while it is a knee jerk reaction to place the rich into this category, we must stop and look at their hearts before placing labels upon them.  God wants us to be blessed by Him but when our blessings become inhabited without giving it is then that the phrase should be turned into privilege.  Until that moment, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the blessings of God to our lives; of course, the world shall label you with their own habits but what do you expect from such a disastrous and selfish entity?  So, let us learn more about the heart when it comes to matters of blessings versus privilege and how we should be acting according to God.

I have never been one who has tried to learn how to sew and to be honest never really wanted to learn either.  But when I went into the military, part of our basic training included a small instructional course on how to sew things back together because we know that when time s are tough or you are in a bind your clothing and equipment shall always stand up to those conditions.  So, Darin had to learn how to sew and since many times electricity and other accommodating luxuries are not around in the middle of nowhere, you have to be prepared, even all the way down to carry your own needles and thread.  Most of you know I wear glasses and have done so since 4^th grade.  So you can imagine that my eyesight is not the sharpest when it comes to small things up close.  It is difficult for me to get the thread into the eye of the needle and if you watch me for a bit it shall become quite funny, for it does not take me too long to become frustrated with this process and the stitching up process requires me to ask for help or it comes crashing to a complete stop.

It does not matter how you justify God to the world, it shall always reject everything that He stands for and upholds.  For some reason, the Church has forgotten this fact of Kingdom life and more confounding is that she has now begun to accept aspects and concepts of the world into her confines and spiritual atmosphere, a dangerous place to be when God comes looking to communicate with her.  One of the major faults that we have with this verse is that we usually contend to keep it on a personal level alone and ignore the entire Church setting when it comes to blessings.  I understand that financial times fluctuate and there are even times where money and resources are extremely scarce, but even so, these worldly conditions should not distract us from the heart’s love to give to those that are in need.  So as we continue to read this note from God, do not close off our hearts and say that I have a problem with this topic, but keep the Church in mind as well for what the Church does for the lost is exactly what Christ commanded us to so in His name.  The difference between a blessing and a privilege is based upon the verses that God uses in this article and once we reacquaint ourselves with these two definitions again, it will become quite clear that we have failed in many ways along these lines.

Matthew 19:24

“And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.”

Luke 6:38

Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom.  For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”

When one looks at these two passages, they could be construed as contradicting each other.  I have heard some folks argue these two points on each side of their issue and principle but unless one understands the concept of why Jesus mentioned this plus the added bonus of blessings that come from God, along with the command Jesus gave to His followers to do, it can easily be missed and thus tainted and twisted by the enemy into a weapon of destruction and mistrust of God, both of which are prime examples of earthly disobedience (sin)?  There is an old tradition concerning camels and how they entered into the gates of the city.  Gates were the only passageways into the cities and one did not make them to easily or luxuriously able to enter, for the gates served first as defensive mechanisms while under enemy attack.  Each small entrance was called the needle’s eye for it controlled the number of people that went in and out at all times, plus it was easy to shut and to lock from the inside so one could leave or get without force.  When one looks at this proverb and then applies it to the Scriptures, it makes sense of what Jesus trying to get across to those listening to His words.

All throughout the Bible, it gives us a picture of people who have been blessed in countless ways with unique blessings from God.  It fathoms some people as to why God gives such tidings yet His Son makes a statement such as this one in Matthew; there again, aid for adversity when it comes to the complexity of the Word of God.  But in truth, it is not what God gives us that makes us a rich man within our hearts, it is what we do with those blessings that set off bells and whistles in the spiritual realm that cause the problems.  See, the job of the world is to take away from you with the allure that you will get something in return, this is a complete lie and one that goes against human existence for even our individual cells give all they have to ensure a healthy life for the remaining cells in our bodies.  What would occur if the cells stopped functioning as they were created and began to work for themselves alone?  It seems absurd but it actually does occur in one state and that state is when the body is in its death phase with no hope remaining.  Think about this for a moment and the concept of blessings and going into all the world and preaching the gospel should take on an entirely different meaning.

So, how does all of this fit into the words of Jesus in Matthew and at the same time are tied to the words of Luke?  Honestly, we are witnessing this tie being played out today, yes, even today as in the day that you are reading this article’s content.  Look at the people and lives of those who live in Africa, Thailand, or any other place that do not have the so-called “living standards” that the western societies have, what makes them different than we?  It is their hearts and how they treat each other as each day of their lives pass.  They may not be as fortunate as we are in the West, but I can guarantee that they give WAY more than you and I do to others.  And here lies the impact that we are currently witnessing across our TV screens, computers, and phones.  When people do not give the blessings that God has given us to others, with a gracious and grateful heart, then our blessings are mutated by Satan and the world into privilege.  It is this concept that most of us live in today and do not even realize it. Why?  It is because when we become dependent on the things of the world, instead of the giving of the reliance upon God to others we become blind to the Truth about why we were told to dress and to keep the Garden of Eden thus prostituting the command that Jesus gave to us to go into the world and preach the gospel to those who are lost.  How dare we hoard the most important bit of information that can be ever processed by the human heart!  It is this point in our lives that our monetary and physical setting becomes greater than our spiritual setting and it is this exact point that Jesus was telling those beautiful people about.  Privileged items become selfish harbors, not flowing or running over to others as our blessings should do.  Anything that is harbored within is idle, not going anywhere and at that moment useless.  God cannot stand uselessness or idleness for they represent stagnation and not being active or alive.

You say that you give to the church soup kitchens, or volunteer at the homeless shelter in your neighborhood or town.  That is all well and good but Jesus asks you this simple question: I see that you do all of these things for the public good but how many of these lost people have you told about Me?  It is this point right here that God wants us to think about when we consider ourselves to be rich because if you do things yet not witness to others, you may be physically rich and mighty in citified power but you are drop-dead poor when it comes to getting that camel through the eye of the needle.  An old haunted saying is coming back to fruition today and it is this: “misery index” and it is playing such a huge role in our societies that no one really knows how to deal with all of its “blessings”.  True blessings from God used for the advancement of His Kingdom give Satan no time or room for twisting the Truth, it is when we relax and stop our giving to others that Satan leaps and gains a hold.  Boy, have we given him not only a hold on our societies but we have allowed him to take a stronghold in the physical and the spiritual realms of our hearts as well.

God has always been a Leader who walks and leads His children in one direction no matter what lies ahead of us, beside us, or behind us.  God continually moves His Kingdom forward without interruption but we are His hands and feet to the lost.  It is through our blessings from Him that gives us the ability to share them with others.  Physical wealth is a matter to which God gives and takes away, sometimes with a warning and sometimes without, but in all circumstances, God is in control and shall do justice in His dealings with the human heart.  I guarantee you that if a person’s spiritual wealth outweighs and out-sizes the physical there shall be no problem of that person getting through the eye of the needle into the city.  It is this Kingdom concept that should be daily practiced in each and everyone who considers themselves to be a Christian. This type of spiritual wealth should be our desire and goal in life, for when you not only pass out physical blessings but also your spiritual gifts to others will be influential to them for eternity.  The good thing about blessings is that when you give them to others (flowing), God sees this and blesses you more and deeper.  It is this Truth that God desires each and every single one of His children to have.

Sadly, Church, you have allowed this privilege process to develop and to now thrive in generations of people that have no concept of what to do with the possessions they have.  This nation has been so blessed over the centuries that we have no idea now about how we obtained such a status.  Church, we have been so caught up within ourselves that we have forgotten the Truth about what we are supposed to be telling the dying world.  We have lost the concept that the blessings of God need to be poured out onto others and if we do not thrive on pouring out and flowing the spiritual blessings (Salvation) of God how can we not portray a selfish and greedy lifestyle to the world?  Don’t you realize we are practicing the exact portrayal of what the people project today?  Think about this Church, we are sinking fast and I do not know how much longer God will wait before He passes His Holy judgment on our land.  And if we fail to recognize this Truth from God, do not stand in shock on the day He chooses to move His hand against us.

Church, how do we measure up to this standard Jesus gave in Matthew or what was spoken as what a blessing means to people in Luke?  How are those buildings that we occupy shaping up to be?  How many are in attendance each week with a new visitor or family that needs God in their lives?  How many have we witnessed to over the past year, I mean really witnessed to them?  Walking around looking holy and saying nothing to rile up people does not make you different than others around you, the world does that and has represented that course ever since humans were around.  How different are you from the rioters who are breaking into stores and stealing what others have bought or had to offer?  Church, how much have you stolen from God’s children in the fact that you have robbed others from their spiritual blessings due to the fact your actions said nothing about their need for God.  People are hurting, just look at the screens that we receive our information on and it cannot be hidden.  Now, honestly, tell me, more importantly, tell God, what the definition of a rich man is.  He already knows your heart, will He accept the definition you offer or will you stop and complain that the entrance to the inner courts of God is too narrow?

DLB

2020

2020

6/15/20

How many of you would venture to say that this year has been a weird ride so far?  Would you be surprised if some of us said that what is going on was predicted and we should not really be wondering at all?  Or, would some of you contend that this year actually refers to a historical pattern that God wants us to look back and to see why things are the way they are today simply because we tried to make things work on our own?  God has never abandoned His children for any reason and He never shall in the future either; however, He does expect us to live according to His Ways and when our hearts become darkened enough to warrant turns, then God allows such actions to occur in order to grab our attention.  Unfortunately, it looks like we are not realizing the TRUE reason for all of the animosity and turmoil in the world today, but we need to recognize this folly of ours before God says that He needs to intervene further and deeper His Way.  But even then, will we be too far gone to understand that the heavy correction was a sign of our ill choices and turn back to God?  I guess time shall only tell.

Psalms 23:1-6

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.  He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.  He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.  Yeah, thou I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.  Thou prepares a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.”

My mother taught me a very good phrase to remember before you have to invoke it down the road, and that phrase is this: “hindsight is always twenty-twenty”.  This small and to the point piece of advice has come back to haunt me more than one time and oh how I thought that things could be different if I had just taken another pathway back when.  But at the same time, I am looking back and knowing what I learned from those painful times, I can hopefully avoid them again if I think about things before I rush into them again.  Also, I pray that somehow I can get it through my children’s heads that they do not have to be hurt in order for them to learn things about life, and that their parents will be glad to offer preventative advice so that troubles and painful settings are minimized.  Advice may not always immediately be accepted or even heard properly, but the words are planted and sound advice is worth more than money if applied adequately to your life.  There are no coincidences with God and there never shall be either, we need to stop and take a good hard inner look at what our hearts are demanding because if we continue this path, the year 2020 shall haunt the entire world for the remaining chaotic future.

On a more expanded note, this year has been witness to many tragic events so far in which the first five complete months have given us many issues to talk about, to share, and to learn from.  Sadly, all that we have noticed so far is selfishly driven results that seem popular at the moment but will eventually take their toll on the population of this nation.  But wait, there is more, for other major cities around the world have joined in this destruction parade in order to get needed justice for certain causes.  In no way am I saying that things need to change for they do but as long as we lean on selfish, worldly standards for answers not much is going to be accomplished besides words and lack of true commitment.  Answers shall never be obtained or reached which will lead to only more anger and division; promises to keep things in order and to be solved are just that promises which so far have not been delivered upon.  So, why would we continue to expand upon such whimsical ideas and lies?  Even the videos and representations of people coming together and praying on one knee symbolize them bowing to humans for a human cause through human submission, that is a lie and shall only reap hurt, anger, and further bitterness when efforts fail.  In addition, if we believe that destroying one side of history shall heal wounds then we are in for another pandemic but not due to any viral cause but from a spiritual aspect.  We cannot change history but we can learn from it and if any of you have believed God has this big eraser up in Heaven and He erases names left and right, then what good do you believe this erasure shall result?

God has given us the ability to learn from our past, and if we adhere to His Ways in proceeding with such a memory that reflection and healing for the future shall be a glorious process.  But if it does not proceed with God’s Wisdom then the enemy can thwart such precious healing and unwind anything that God has planned for our lives.  However, this past vision need not be used if our vision in completing things correctly the first time graces our lives the first time around.  I have worn glasses or contacts ever since I was in the 4^th grade and for quite a long time beforehand I could not see correctly.  But I did not mention anything to my parents about it for a while and even though I thought I was seeing things clearly, it was not until my glasses came in that I figured out just how bad my eyesight had been in my recent past.  While my glasses have done a superb job in correcting my vision, my eyes have continued their path toward ugliness, yet, through modern technological advances humanity has kept up with my progression of blurred myopia.  Do we understand that this type of process is working freely in our societal hearts today but with one exception?  That exception is that instead of putting on the spiritual glasses that God provides, instead, we are putting on sunglasses to keep the True Light away from showing us the way; protecting our image instead of changing our hearts.

It has become evident that we do not see anything wrong with our eyesight, that everything around us is for real and the only way to fix the issues we have is to rely upon the younger generations’ options.  Remember, these options come from undisciplined and flippant individuals that cannot see past their own sunglass vision, blurred as it may be.  Instead of teaching them responsibility and truth about survival while everyone has been in “lockdown”, we have ignored such time and have allowed them to run amuck without any borders present.  Do not become haughty adults; you have not been the most attentive citizens either to look at the responses we have demonstrated over these past few months.  We have had plenty of time to get back to the basics of our lives and even had plenty of opportunities to return to God, yet we have squandered this time by continuing our selfish practices and increasing our worldly manners.  All we have done is to speed up the prophecies that have been forewarned against our nation, proving once again that when humans decide to move our hearts on our own we fail eternally.

Now, we have another suggestion presenting itself in a national basis and that is to change names of teams, schools, cities, and nations all because it may offend someone.  Changing the names of every individual or every town, city, state, or nation shall not change one thing or bring any peace to any community.  One can force others to change what clothes they wear too, but it shall not touch what goes on inside their hearts, for it is the heart that needs to change, not the physical.  Police brutality, health care issues, retirement, and job quotas seem to grace our lives and worry us each day forcing us to reason if we shall have the necessary means to provide for our families or not.  Then, we have the recurring accounts of those who do not care to work but demand that they have everything modern within their grasps, and if not, their grasps become personal on other people’s lives.  I could go on and on and still not cover every aspect that our eyes see each day just in our nation alone.  Does this sound like a one-sided affair to be blamed?  Be honest, does it? NO way!!  Yet, it is, it is a human blamed result, and a human result alone.

Also, as I watch these events unfold, I cannot help but hear the silences of the Church and how she is not taking the Word to the streets during this time.  I have only watched a few street preachers being filmed in the areas of unrest; this is a telling spot and one that grieves my heart because all of these acts of protest and violence ongoing deem us a lost nation who no longer has a direction in which to follow.  Sadly, my heart feels the laughter that Satan projects in our supervision and custodial duties as leaders of the world.  We fail to see what our sinful ways have created within our hearts and the onion’s blackness now seeps with the foul stench of decay, we can no longer hide its devastating condition inside.  One day, our entire land’s body (onion) shall be sliced open by God exposing exactly what we have done to ourselves in such a manner that will be so devastating that this nation shall never recover from its wounds or be restored as she has stood so proudly from the moment her existence began.

The twenty-twenty vision does not have to come as hindsight; it can be obtained now if we put on the vision of God within our hearts.  How evident are we finding out that we have just been going through the motions as leaders of the world, both spiritually and physically for our hearts are rooted so deeply into ourselves that we cannot see past our own noses?  We have failed to look back on our historical setting and to recognize the responsibility that was placed upon us by the Founding Fathers and even the colonists before them we have just continued to play games with the blessings that was given to us and while doing so taking advantage of every situation that was presented before us.  Which brings us back to the present conditions and the scenarios that we witness today, once again we are not taking up the truly responsible quest that challenges us, we face these conditions in the same manner as before while screaming for changes all around with absolutely no mention of God at all; except in curse words of course.

Also, in this current vision set of ours, how are we faring with our current vision status Church?  Are we noticing that we no longer have any power or authority to make the true difference in most people’s lives today?  Do we even recognize this sin of ours?  Do we sit back, look out over our valleys and upon our hills, place our fingers over our mouths and stare out in wonder of how we lost our mission and our faith or why our actions and words mean nothing to people today?  Even worse, we mainly apply this type of staring and wondering to the physical and totally not think about the spiritual aspect and this is because we have allowed the world to infiltrate our minds and hearts deep enough that we cannot see that we have become the epitome of blindness.

There is one more section of this twenty-twenty vision status that needs to be explained and for the most part I have never had the ability to do this until a few years ago after God got a hold of my heart and began to show me things about the human and they are controlled.  The phrase that my mother told me so many times previously can be used not only for past experiences but when used Correctly, it can project the future as well.  If we put on the corrective lenses of the world then we shall only be able to focus our sight on what is currently occurring around us for that is all the world wants you to understand at your point in life.  As the verse for this article describes God should be the One who leads our hearts during times of trouble.  The 23^rd Psalms has always been looked upon as a peaceful passage of Scripture, and it is but at the same time, we cannot ignore that while walking through the valley of the shadow of death, that means war is ongoing and we are in the midst of it.  It also means that when God is our vision our sight is 20/20 not only for past experiences, current events but for the future as well.  God’s Ways and Laws are the only ones that a person can learn from that includes the past, present, and future for all human laws are reactionary and cannot predict the future or truly correct the past.

So, Church, we should be excited about the year of 2020 for we should be able to comfort those who are truly looking for answers to the issues that afflict us today.  We should be actively witnessing not only from the doorsteps of our church parking lots and flag poles, but we should be on multiple corners of our towns and cities waiting to provide such helpful information to people.  We should see the hurt in their eyes and hear their hearts’ cry as they come close to our presence.  People are in tremendous pain and whether or not they realize it they are searching for true answers to the vile tricks that we all have fallen for, yet no one is calling out to them with the Good News of the Gospel of Christ.  We do not need to be afraid of what this year has brought us so far, we do not need to be afraid of what this year is currently throwing at our faces, nor do we have to be afraid of what is yet to arrive, but Church we need to step up and to what Jesus commanded us to do; it is for this reason and condition today that God’s Word said for such a time as this.

It is difficult for me to believe in coincidences, while I understand that sometimes they occur I cannot imagine that many coincidences in a certain time frame do not mean anything specific.  I cannot help but notice all of the turmoil that has been gaining over the past few decades or so.  While most blame a political party or the ideology of certain people we fail to recognize that our “2020” vision is blurred.  The blame game that is currently present is nothing new to this nation and to the values of freedom, for freedom has always been fought for throughout history, the only problem is, is that most of the time we fight for it in the wrong manner or in the incorrect Name and method.  As God as opened my eyes to all of the mess that humans face, He has done so in such a spiritual manner that it totally overrides the mannerisms of the physical.  Even though the physical is being touched our spiritual lives are dead and we are only acting out with a smelly spiritual heart, the only way we know how to in the condition we are in; thus, the actions we are displaying are not coincidences but the result of decaying hearts that are now physically appearing.

Church, you smell just as bad, so do not begin to believe that you are above what is transpiring right before our eyes. YOU are the reason the world has such a hold over countless lives for you have not completed the work that Jesus commanded us to do.  I include myself in this part of the equation for I am part of the Church as well, all of us have come short of the glory of God but less are actively doing something about it.  I do not know if God has begun the process of weeding out this nation due to its continued sin against Him or not, but with the way things look, I do not think conditions shall change much any time soon.  If this type of life is transpiring, how can we hope to change the lives of those who are lost or who shall lose loved ones during today’s events and those that are to come?  You have heard this next sentence from God over and over and you shall continue to hear it as long as God gives me topics to write about, it is strictly up to us, our choice, to complete what we have started, so in whose direction are we going to follow?

It is simple, First off we need to repent as in totally and completely repent.  Next, we do what Jesus commands us to do, get our hearts back into the Word of God, drop all of the individual, petty, and selfish garbage we hang on to, and then most importantly go into the world and preach the Gospel to those who are willing to listen.  Until that moment we choose to do what Jesus tells us to do, we are sunk in every way, shape, and manner.  God loves you so very much and it pains His heart to send His hand in such a manner before us, but we have ignored His 20/20 vision He has given us to use, its fruits are ripe and are being harvested today, but we still have the opportunity to put on His glasses and see 20/20 vision for our future.  Talk about a switch in the phrase that many of us have heard most of our lives, we can actually see into the true future if we change our vision today and turn back to God.

DLB

Sacrifice and Communion

Sacrifice and Communion

6/12/20

Have you ever given thought how these two vital Truths about God and humans share a vital relationship that proves an eternal consistence about life?  For quite some time now, some ministries have forgotten the importance of the Old Testament and how Christians cannot define our relationship with God unless we study and apply these informational concepts about God.  Yes, the languages of both Testaments are different but each has its own stressors that point to a single option and since they do how is it that we justify that one can be used or accepted and the other outdated and therefore rejected?  It is gross negligence on our parts when we do not or cannot see the links these two words (practices) have with each other, for if we do not see this connection then it is no wonder we question who God is and why He does not appear to be around when tough times arise.  We can still change this Truth about these concepts before things run away with us and understanding and living under these concepts is a must if we are to survive spiritually.

A quick example before I proceed and this example is of a personal nature and one that occurred recently as well.  A few weeks ago our youngest daughter moved out into her new house and since she was the last of the girls to leave it freed up a room to which I could have a real office again.  I am still in the process of moving my things from the den to my office and being the type of personality I am along with the medical training I have, there are a few things that I must have in place at all times so my mind and heart can be peace.  One of these pieces of peace is that I have my Bible open at all times, on my TV tray right in front of the desk I currently have in the den.  It may seem a tad unexciting, but as I have begun this process of moving I had placed my Bible into the new office for a day and night or two.  I became uneasy and restless for some reason and I could not put my finger on the reason why.  Then it dawned on me, my Bible was not where it was supposed to be for I had not officially moved yet.  Yes, my Bible was still fully open and it was on my new desk, but it was not where it had always been and when I realized this I placed it back on the TV tray and I was at peace again.  What is the point?  The point is that when God’s Word is not fully in place and in its rightful place (your heart) the separation of this eternal completion cannot live according to how it was designed to function.

Matthew 5:17

“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy but to fulfill.”

One of the questions I had during my youthful years is why the Old Testament talked so much about the process and procedure of sacrifice yet, the exact performance of the process and procedure of communion was not described in such detail in the New Testament.  This thinking of mine over time became overshadowed with the truth for as I continued my studying and learning about the Bible it steadily became clear to me that both Testaments talked about the same thing, a relationship with God.  As I look back and then study those passages again, I cannot help but realize just how much I was missing when I did not see that both conditions demonstrated the exact same thing.  Furthermore, since my eyes did not see it meant that my spiritual eyes did not see, to begin with which made it almost impossible for my physical mind to understand as well.  Which brings me to the point where God wants to deal with us about and that is the importance of both Testament concepts that link our definitions in God together and a definition that if we do not know about or agree with then we can be in for a long haul when times become tough, simply because our foundation and direction shall be jaded. 

This topic may seem a bit trivial or even a given to some but evidently, it is one that needs to be addressed because it has been heavy on my heart for a while now.  All of us are experiencing unusual times in our lives and it seems like as each new sunrise occurs, another crisis or upheaval occurs.  As many of us know, when this continued type of personal, local, or national turmoil shows it tensions within our atmosphere become visible.  What seems like a given to those who have been grounded in the Word for decades to be simple, may not be so clear to others who are just now receiving Christ as their Savior or to those who have doubts about God and His Word or even those who do not know Him at all.  It is this back to basics teaching and understanding that we need to ensure we first understand and grasp firmly enough to teach others when they ask; and yes, they will eventually ask.  Shamefully, the Church has done a fairly decent job in eviscerating these two Truths (sacrifice and communion) into two entities and effectively rendering the Word of God null and void, most without even knowing what they have done.

Not too long ago, God gave us the topic of sacrifice in the Old Testament and how the children of Israel used this sacred practice as a means of ritualistic religious ceremonies instead of the true meaning of what God intended Sacrifice to mean and represent.  God’s point was that we need to make sure each and every day that our lives represent a living Sacrifice to the One that has the authority to see His Son’s blood and not the blood of our physical and spiritual wickedness.  It is easy for us to criticize the children of Israel for their misdeeds and to sell them short as ancient figures that should have known better or they received everything they got because of their self-adherence to their selfish ways.  Many ancient Hebrew texts refer to their founding through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and this is a correct foundation to draw from; however, what God spoke to Abraham about that evening in a dream continues to pertain to us today yet many of us also continue to miss what God says about completion and holiness.

There is no question that Adam and Eve had the first covering given to them, and when Adam fell that covering was then represented in a whole different way, Covenant through Sacrifice.  Abram comes along and God expands His Covenant with humanity and in the dream that God gave Abram specific details of exactly what would occur to those who violated said Covenant established by God with humanity was given.  Many perceive that this renewal and expansion of Sacrifice surfaced as God’s way of bringing His Law onto our heads and to hold us in check because He expects us to do wrong. Wrong!!  God places His Covenant into our lives as a means of separation from the wickedness and death laws of the world and the process of Sacrifice is the acknowledgment that we fully understand and humbly accept this Truth.  Ask yourself this question: why would God set into motion anything that would hinder you or your life for any reason?  God cannot hinder you from doing anything, He shall do His best to keep you from harm or harming yourself in worldly terms, but it is always up to you to understand and then live with God and His Ways.  Further in the Old Testament, we see that Israel chose to dismantle this unity with God through her own actions, their nation was never the same again; a pattern that Adam and Eve found out long before the nation of Israel did.  The patterns of the world and the Ways of God have not changed, nor shall they either but your choice can.

One of the most beautiful things about God’s Word is that both Testaments complement each other specifically.  Once again, this Truth about God cannot be recognized or understood unless we believe in both Testaments and that both Testaments represent the definition of God.  God is a complete God on all levels and this means that His Word is complete as well which brings into context Communion and how it directly defines Sacrifice and how Sacrifice directly defines Communion.  Also, it brings into light just how selfish we have become in order to divide the Testaments into two halves instead of One Testimony, a key player in the downfall of the Church.  Just as Christians cannot honestly define us without Judaism, so does Communion cannot define Itself without Sacrifice.  It is this principle that was meant when Jesus said the He did not come to destroy the law or the prophets but to fulfill the law.  Fulfilling something does not mean that it can be done haphazardly, it must be studied and known before issues can be addressed.  God does not do or complete things half-way, He always completes them fully that is His definition.

Jesus demonstrates Communion during Passover and He shares His last Passover on earth with His disciples.  This was a procedure that meant everything to Jesus and it should mean everything to those who love God and are a witness to the eternal Testimony to His Son as their Savior.  All my life, I have been involved in countless Communion services, during regular church services, weddings, both religious and secular holiday celebrations, and at family dinners or other occasions.  It does not matter when or where I have always counted it a privilege to take Communion and to reflect on how it relates to my relationship with God, both in the good times and bad times of this relationship; a note here, the bad times come from my selfishness and the world and NEVER from God.  However, I can say for certain that not all others feel and treat Communion the exact way as I, and to be honest, if this statement from me were not true the condition of the world would be totally different and honestly so would the Church.  To be in accordance with the Bible and the definition of God, both Sacrifice and Communion must be linked together as one, you cannot have one without the other.  God’s entire mission for our existence is for us to live with Him in perfection for eternity.  We blew this easy opportunity a long time ago, but God did not leave us or forsake us, instead, He provided a way out from our troubles and it is a relationship with Him, through Sacrifice and Communion.

We see that Communion is no different than the old practice of Sacrifice in the Old Testament and once and for all proves that if the Old Testament is tied together with the highest act of relationship with God that the remaining words of both Testaments are related to one another and eternally tied together as One.  This means that in order for us to understand the mission of Christ, we must understand the reasoning and means from the Old Testament.  So, why do we not teach both Testaments as one unified message, Church?  Why is it such a major problem to sink our hearts into the wisdom and knowledge of the prophets and Jesus Christ?  Don’t you see that when we only pick and choose certain verses or Scripture that provide our egos with the satisfaction and justification of how we live can only provide us with a lie and certain eternal death?  It does not matter if you feel good about the specific passages you cling to in order for you to sit in a certain denominational building with other “like-minded” individuals.  Shame on you (us, you and I) Church!!  I have witnessed more “life” in a funeral service than in some Communion services in my lifetime, Communion should never be a time of mundane, routine, or simple ceremony but one of emotional thanksgiving and heartfelt gratitude for God’s provisions of eternal life.

You are not preaching the Gospel and going into the world with the good news of Jesus and His Salvation, you are bastardizing the Truth into a human truth and a feel-good message that only increases your physical pocketbooks.  This is NOT the message that Christ told us to teach and to preach, death and eternal death is real and it is eternal separation from God and everything that is good.  Game playing time is over and if you have not noticed, this nation is crumbling right in front of our eyes and when she is thinks her demise is over and recovery is nigh, the fun then begins and it is not the kind of fun one wants to witness.  Our petty differences with the Word of God are over, get back to preaching the Gospel as it was meant to be completed.  We are in an eternal and spiritual fight which means our fight is not in physical terms and we should not concentrate on such limited methods.  As long as we do not take the Word of God completely and wholly there shall be no holiness in our lives or in our paths, and that is not the streets that God told us to pave.  In no way should we receive Communion in such a fashion of complacency, it should always be one of humility and true heartfelt devotion with its eternal message first and foremost in our hearts.  When we place God first in all areas of our lives, these two acts of worship to God shall become the most important daily symbols we can live by, through, and under and because we view these acts according to how our hearts believe, then our projections to the world shall reflect just beliefs as well.

I do not know how much time this nation has to survive in its current form, but I can tell you one thing and it should shake you to your core.  The current form of worldly “repentance” says for us to get on our knees and beg forgiveness to another human being, this is not even close to what we need to do.  You can say your penances to countless people but if our hearts do not change and turn back to God nothing shall ever change, but only continue to increase in its worldly devices.  The Word of God does not say that every knee shall bow to humans, it says that every knee shall bow to God and that means that even though you choose to ignore God and His Ways, you shall one day confess to your entire existence that He is Lord of All.  There shall be people on this day that have been raised in church all their lives but did not even know one thing about God and His Ways, if only they had understood the connection between Sacrifice and Communion.  Will you change this lack of understanding, Church?  It shall truly change your life and set our feet on the True path of righteousness and it shall invigorate us to once again teach the lost around the world that Jesus Loves them.

DLB