Who Is Dumber?

Who Is Dumber?

1/25/22

No one likes to be called or considered dumb, yet many of us seem to walk around in such a condition.  If we do not like to be included in this category then why do we voluntarily stand in its place of sobriety?  It really does not make sense to live in such a manner that goes against all agents of our creation and existence but once again we throw ourselves into this position.  What is God talking about when He says He has made His people smart enough to be kings, queens, and rulers over countless kingdoms?  It is true, God created us to live in a state of holiness and with wisdom all around our presence, but our worldly choices bring us down and send us into unfamiliar territory that when we arrive in all we can do is react against others.  All God wants is for us to repent and to climb out of our state of confusion and devastation but we would rather continue our journey alone in the world.  Now, ask yourself who is dumber, you or your enemy?  I guess that depends on who you take advice and live under.

Right from the beginning, I know some folks will not like this topic and might have a negative opinion about this article, but that is okay for you will read it and it will cause one to think about which kingdom you serve and wish for the destruction of the other.  All I am doing is repeating the words that God said to me to write, and this article may touch a nerve for some it is needed and it also needs to be spread to those who need to repent and to turn their hearts back to God.  So read intently and allow God to open your spiritual lives so that you may hear what He is saying for we know that when God speaks to us about a certain condition of ours, something is about to occur that is big enough that we need guidance in place first.  

One of the most frustrating positions to be in is the one where you have placed your trust in someone or in something and at some point down the road you find out that you have been lied to about the entire subject.  This tactic is a powerful one because for the majority of the time humans are trustworthy of others, many times to a fault.  It is in our nature to try and be honest with each other but as our lives become cold and solid it is easier to fall for lies instead of peaceful exchanges of benefit.  All of us have been in a setting where someone that we have trusted has betrayed us and thrown us to the wolves after the curtain has been pulled open.  This hurts and torments those to who it has happened and if this scenario occurs too many times in a row then we become wary of others and tend to seek revenge on innocent people in like manner.  

Politicians are famous for making such promises and then backtracking on them after the election is over, a sinister plan that leaves a sour taste in a person's mouth and heart.  In this ball game, we know that not everything politicians say will become law or get done as they promise but the question must be asked if they continue to promise and nothing ever comes about of their words.  However, we blindly follow their lies promote them and then vote for them when we know that their game plan is only to get re-elected.  We ignore the fact that they say they love you, kiss your babies, take selfies with you but they have no interest in your life after voting time leaves.  What is so embarrassing is that they tell you the lies that they want you to believe and we fall for it every time.  So, the title of this article really does apply to our lives, who is dumber the person who has a plan in place that is filled with lies or those who listen to these words, know that they are lies yet fall into line with the liars? 

All of us have heard stories about how friends, family members, or even ourselves have fallen for the same types of relationships believing that the next one will be better.  I have heard these types of stories over and over again almost my entire adult life and they break my heart every time.  God did not install us a stupid or sucker sign on our hearts so that we will fall and get hurt repeatedly, He created us to be more than conquerors not to be conquered.  I know that it is difficult to keep this fact present in our forethoughts and spiritual hearts but it is vital that we do because if we fail at protecting what God has in store for us physically it means that we have already fallen spiritually.  

If it is for this reason that Satan defeats us time and time again because we take the physical approach to his spiritual game and we believe his lies continually but what can we expect to happen when in the course of time we hear lie after lie?  Do you know that Satan has a plan in place for your life?  It is recorded in the Bible, WHAT?  How many of us forget that Satan is defeated and the only thing he can do to us is to follow a defeated plan; furthermore, Satan is spiritually dead and thus cannot do anything spiritually active he must react after God moves.  His plan is recorded in the Bible and if we read the Bible and study what it says we will not have to fall for known plans, thus not look dumber than the one with a defeated plan.  The passage for this article comes from Judges 16 again and is as follows:

Judges 16: 5-6

"And the lords of the Philistines came up to her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him; and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver.  And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherein thou mightest be bound to afflict thee."

God has previously mentioned some of the details about this story in other articles, if you have not read them He suggests you do so that you can gather all the information that He is sharing with us.  God has shown us that quickly Delilah went to work on her plan along with the plan of the lords of the Philistines to find out the source of Samson's strength and then once known to eliminate his strength and destroy him.  The plan is one that has some details but overall has one goal in mind, the destruction of Samson the Philistines' greatest enemy.  We have also been taught that Samson spent way too much time in the area of the border with Israel and Philistia, but he found "love" there and chose to live in the area for personal gain.  It is this plan, over time that would bring Samson to his destruction and lead to his death, a plan not designed by God but by the enemy of God and one that did not have to occur in such a path.

In verse 5 of this passage, we see that the plan of Samson's destruction is made and all of the players necessary for this plan were in touch with the motions needed.  The stage was set and Delilah went on her way to begin the plan in her own manner.  In verse 6 we find that Delilah begins right off the bat by questioning Samson about his strength and how to weaken him enough to bind him for captivity.  Now, let us first look at Delilah and her presentation of the overall plan.  It is a pretty straight-up plan with the motive and direction presented right up front which is unusual because normally if one does such a move things would be over immediately and another plan made, but not here.  Delilah states the plan and the ultimate goal, Samson knows that she is a Philistine and that he has done some pretty ugly and embarrassing things to her people, so why does he entertain the motive and destructive air that she spills?

How many military campaigns would succeed with this type of information given to the opposite side of the battlefield, that answer is easy, none?  However, if the militants on the other side of the battlefield believe that they have an unspoken advantage and refuse to properly defend their positions (gifts) and do nothing to thwart the attack and then lose the upcoming battle, who would be the dumber of the two sides?  What if the Allies would have placed the captured German Enigma machine into a closet or room and not investigated its purpose, how do you suppose WWII would have played out?  The Enigma machine was the tool that the German Wehrmacht gave all its orders to the field, or in the case of the navy the seas.  The Allies captured a German submarine and retrieved one of these instruments while it was engaged for that day, a perfect weapon to have against the enemy of the world.

A setting in which one side of the battlefield knows exactly when, how, and where the enemy shall attack and who will be involved in that attack, what an advantage to have.  This is what the Allies had over the Germans and when it was deciphered and understood, Allied Command knew about the battle plans before the field generals of Germany did, extraordinary don't you think?  But what if we had not used such a tool and ignored its potential?  It is this type of action that the Allies did NOT take that ended WWII in Europe far sooner than it could have been and it is the same type of action that Samson should have taken and dealt with so that his life and the spiritual battle he missed could have ended in an old ripe age.  It cannot be forgotten that when someone is spiritually dead, they cannot see the plan of God or know what is coming unless the physical is given them permission to open that door.  A spiritually dead being cannot walk in, hear, or exist within God's Kingdom it just cannot occur for God has no death upon or around Him, He represents life eternal, only.

So it should really concern us when God gives life-saving instructions but we either ignore them or do not understand them which when this occurs allows Satan to defeat us and fail what God has spoken for us to do.  When Delilah asks Samson about his strength and how to weaken it, Samson should have been on the first horse out of camp and never return to her again.  But he did not and if we read a few verses later we find that Samson toys with her about this issue and even allow the game to go far enough that "exercises" against him were carried out.  Now, we also know that the detailed knowledge that Delilah sought after is of a personal manner and while most people would never divulge that information to someone they hardly knew, sex does play a heavy role in intimate talk and positioning.  As we have learned previously, Samson had spent enough time with Delilah to earn trust with both of them, which was the key to organizing and executing the plan against God.

A detail here concerning the spiritual realm and how a being that is spiritually dead operates when it comes to tricking a person that knows the spiritual realm or should know the spirit realm but in truth does not.  Remember, a spiritually dead being cannot see, hear, or exist in the spirit realm for it is alive and moving so reactions must be relied upon in order for completion.  Look at what is deemed important to the completion of the plan of the Philistines and Delilah, it was the physical aspect of Samson only, nowhere does it mention that they looked upon God as the source of Samson's strength, later they celebrate to their gods but not the origin of their "problem".  Yet, Samson did not leave but stayed with Delilah,  stayed in the border area, and subsequently allowed the door of destruction to open in which Satan walked right through and completed his plan of Samson.

There are a bunch more things that God will share with us about Samson and Delilah but the issue at hand has been written.  So, the question is this, who was dumber the people with a plan that was spoken publicly to the enemy or the person who is the enemy sticking around after the plan was made known to him?  I believe it is not a hard question to answer, for the one who is "dumber" would be Samson the target of the planned adventure.  Why would anyone stay where their lives would eventually be placed in enough danger that it could cost them their life?  Why would they not immediately get up and leave?  It would seem that Samson would have more sense than this but when we figure out what Samson says and how he responds to Delilah's demands, it is obvious why he stayed and it also gives us the reason as to why we act in the same manner today.

The plan of Satan is to destroy your life, it was this plan that Adam and Eve fell for, it was this plan that Samson fell for and it is the same plan that we fall for today.  This pan of Satan does not have to just stay on the individual level, it can be on the organizational level or even national level it does not matter his plan is the same and it cannot change.  Satan sees your life and he sees your status through the actions and words you use and it is through these avenues that he gains access to your life.  The plan always starts out simple and easy but gradually flourishes into an elaborate plan which usually ends up in completion.  It has always amazed me how we fall for such practices, but at the same time, I have to include myself in these failures for I have missed them as well.

See, Satan can only operate through the flesh and if he sees that our flesh is more important and first in line in our lives he has a great opportunity to destroy us.  It is not difficult to thwart his plans, all we have to do is to turn to God's Word and tune our spiritual ears to God.  It does not matter how strong physically we may be, or how smart our minds may be for if we are not strong spiritually our physical will be no stronger than a piece of thin spaghetti.  It is this aspect of our lives that we have missed and thus allowed Satan access to our lives.  Nothing about Satan is pretty, good, or wholesome. He has one goal in mind and it is your death; he has done a superb job at completing his mission in countless lives.

Lastly, Satan has done a fantastic job of infiltrating the spiritual Church and with this access has convinced her that she really does not need God in a pure or holy manner.  More vitally, he has convinced her that she does not need to listen to His Word nor does she need to rely on His presence within her heart.  The same question can be asked of her heart, what has occurred that you have forgotten the plan of your enemy?  It is written down in the Word of God, the Standard that you come from and share from, what happened?  You cannot see that you have bought into Satan's selling point, a known fact.  Plus, you cannot see the damage and devastation that you have allowed him to inflict upon your existence and your spiritual heartbeat is fading each day.

You can change Church before it is too late.  You are not healthy and not in a good place.  Deliah has formed her plan against you and has even told you how she will execute it but you must wake up and leave her!  Repent now, for time is short, your life as you know it is short unless you change and turn back to God.  It is one thing to try and then fail but you prove the title as your own if you know the plan and do nothing to win the battle; yes, in this case, you are dumber.

DLB

On The Fringe

On The Fringe

1/24/22

Living on the fringes seems like it would be an exciting time and place to be, but we were never designed to be in such trying conditions.  God created us to thrive in a pure and secure place both physically and spiritually for God knows that when we choose to live in such high stakes conditions that our physicality shall overtake and rule our existence.  Even though we believe that sitting on the fence is a secure position and that in a moment's flash can fall back into good graces, this process rarely occurs.  It is God's purpose to protect our hearts and to provide a secure upbringing with green pastures and cool streams of life, yet we tend to choose other paths that will lead to our downfall, even to our untimely deaths if we allow Satan's influences to dig deep.  These types of experiences are not what God wants for our lives, for when trials and tribulations come He wants us as close to Him as possible and the only way for this to occur is for us to be far from the edges of His Kingdom.

Does anyone remember the old saying about someone being on the fence, or sitting on the fence when it came to a particular topic?  I would probably be safe in saying that most of us have been in that position at some time in our life, maybe on many occasions and not just a few.  This saying describes a situation where one cannot make up their mind about how to act or respond to situations or decisions around us for we cannot stand on the ground that got us to this position in the first place.  Many times we forget that the fence represents a border, a defining line between two sides or a boundary of some kind ending two properties but we seldom remember that the land on both sides of that fence is independent and at some point, our decision to live on one side of that fence will approach.

It is okay to be at the end of the property line in order to see if the boundary is secure or if it needs to be repaired, but it is never a good idea to stay in this location for a long period of time.  If we linger long enough, another familiar saying will come into play, the grass looks greener on the other side.  It is this position that causes many of us to take a few steps on the fence to obtain a better look at what is on another property, a process of wanting that will come to haunt many later.  It is also at this point that God begins to tell us that it is not a good idea for us to be at the fence any longer and that it is time we return to His inner circle.  However, we continue our climb up the fence until we reach the top of it and take our position of sitting, now the real battle emerges and we find ourselves being pulled in both directions for our presence.

Have you ever wondered if there is an example in the Bible that shows us what occurs when we sit on the fence and then fall to the world because of us taking that position?  The Bible has many examples of God's people taking a fall when choices are made by them that do not agree with God's Ways but there is one that should stand out to us as the prime example for this action of ours.  It comes from a famous story that has been taught about and preached about, one about lust and sleeping with the enemy all rolled up together and it comes from our passage for this article and it is as follows:

Judges 16:4-6

"And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.  And the lords of the Philistines came up to her, and said to her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him; and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver.  And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherein thou mightest be bound to afflict thee."

Now, as stated above, this story about Samson and Delilah is very well known, and it has been a story that we learned as a young kid in Sunday School or as a young adult or an adult in church services.  This story has been illustrated to us in many ways on many levels with different circumstances being used as the source of teaching.  However, in my opinion, there have not been too many teachings about the land where the beginnings of Samson and Delilah took place.  It is an important place, called the valley of Sorek and it is still present on present-day maps of the Middle East, specifically in Israel.  It has not moved and it still is a place that is significant to the area.  It is plentiful in water and temperate enough to grow fruits, olives, and grapes for wine.  But in the time of Judges 16, it served as the boundary for Israel and the Philistines even though it was beautiful.

It was the proverbial "fence line" between the highest enemy of Israel, on the fringe if you wish to place it into those words and categories, a place that should not be frequented by the Children of God.  Yet one could consider it a beautiful place to be, it has all of the necessities of a comfortable place to live, and yet at the same time, it served as a place of great gossip and turmoil with the physical presence of enemies.  This state of land and its service to both peoples was not hidden it was well-known and folks lived accordingly to its name and reputation.  Here lies the question concerning Samson, with his status in Israel, why would he wish to spend so much time in a place that had the potential of his demise?  

Yes, he had great strength given to him by God to act as judge over people but to live in such a place where he would be subjected to potential hate and sin was not very wise.  Samson understood the concept of borders and boundaries and he knew exactly what they stood for but his curiosity and then love made him stay in the area for a considerable amount of time and it was in this area that his downfall began and then set the stage for his demise.  Another detail that we tend to forget about fence lines is that other people live in that setting and since they do, they too are sitting on the fence and are subsequently subject to the same usages and consequences.  In verse 4, we see the phrase "And it came to pass afterward" which comes from the Hebrew phrase "Sometime later" which reinforces the fact that Samson had spent enough time in this fringed area that everyone knew his presence and the reason why he was in the place in the first place.

What is the lesson we learn from this part of the story about Samson and Delilah?  Well, in order for this passage to state what it does it means that Samson had to have stayed in this area for quite a bit of time, for the people who he was and that he was an Israelite.  They also knew that he spent a bunch of time with one woman named Delilah, so much time that he fell in love with her.  His continued presence there attracted the eyes of the lords of the Philistines and they watched Samson and the amount of time he spent there and who he was with.  This participation from the enemy's leaders soon grew into a formidable plan to end Samson's life by gaining access to his strength and in order for this to occur they approached Delilah to fulfill their plan.

From what the Bible says in this passage, Delilah put up no resistance in their plan for in the very next verse, verse 6 she began her campaign of finding out what the source of Samson's strength was.  Another detail is present here as well and it comes to the realization of all parties involved in this part of the story.  Samson, Delilah, and the lords of the Philistines had the same concept of God in that He was basically a figurehead and had no real relationship with any of them.  Samson had been on the fringes for so long that even though the gift of strength from God was still present in his life, it really was physical only thus vulnerable to the spirit realm that inhabits all of us.  Our enemy knows when our physical realm outweighs our spiritual realm and when we live in such an order for a long period of time the easier it will be for Satan to win victory over us and this is exactly what occurred to Samson even before his life ended sooner than later.

When we live on the outskirts of God's Kingdom and continually flirt with the fence line and those things on the other side, we automatically place ourselves into a position of destruction and eventual death.  Yes, God does have a Kingdom that covers us and all who are under it will prevail against the devil; however, God's covering is so huge that if every human being accepted Him as their King and Savior there would still be thousands of miles from the last person on the edge of Salvation until the border of His covering.  It is a choice of ours to live on the border of God's Kingdom and Satan's kingdom.  How is this living status visible today?  Look at the growth and strength of the Church that God gave us back about two centuries ago, church and being a Christian were popular and a good example to be to others.  Not now, we are backseaters and just numbers in the crowd of the world.

It is guaranteed that because Samson possessed such great physical strength as a gift from God he believed he was invincible and that at any time needed he could out-whit the enemy before they touched his secret.  Samson forgot that he too was weak as a baby when it came to the spiritual strength needed to fend off the enemies of God, he forgot that the gift that God gave to him was a reminder that physical strength is not enough and that he and Israel both needed to be spiritually strong; this spiritual aspect being more important.  God made it clear to Samson over his life not to mess around with the enemy, on ANY level, and that if he did it would cost him dearly, not just himself either.

Part of our human definition includes sin, in fact, we are born into it thus comprising our origins.  But we do not have to live on this fringe of existence, we do not have to become friendly and familiar with the beauty of the world and all that it has to physically offer.  God established boundaries way back in the Garden of Eden and He has not changed them one bit, but that does not mean we have to test the boundary's waters so to speak.  If God sends you to the fence line then go do what is necessary and return to His close proximity, tell Him what you witnessed and did and then enjoy being in His presence.  Do not linger or abide in areas that are dangerous to your eternal existence, being away from God, or keeping Him at a distance is not good for you or anyone else.  It is this setting that we need to be telling others about, for keeping God at a distance or out of sight will cause you to lose your life.

Samson knew that the Philistines were the enemy of Israel, yet he kept in so close of contact with them that he fell in love with one of their citizens; I believe that this is a basis of why God tells us not to be unequally yoked because it is the spiritual aspect of our lives that suffers first and leads to eternal death.  Instead of pressing into God and doing what God told him to do, Samson did the opposite just like many of us do and it cost him everything.  God plays for keeps and so does the world, but what eternal kingdom we choose to fight for and then live under is our choice.

God has mentioned here that it is okay for us to be on the fence line area to do work and repairs that are necessary and then head back into His presence for rest and instruction, what is He saying for us to do, exactly?  His words to us come from His Son when He said that we should go into all the world and preach the Gospel and to tell every part of the world that Jesus died for them and that He loves them.  There is no way possible that our weak, sick, and unhealthy physical lives can work on the front lines of the Kingdom of God and repair them without specific strength and instruction.  Also, it is known that we cannot stay out there on this fence line for a long period of time for even though we are on a mission from God we are still human and are in need of eternal and spiritual help.

It is obvious Church, that we went to the fringes where countless people are located but instead of a message of repentance and returning back to God we have ourselves stayed and enjoyed the benefits of the physical and spiritual beauty of the world.  We have laid God aside and have pursued what is before us and not told these people that they need Jesus.  We have been lured into the web of the world and not have perched ourselves on the kingdom fence line and are about to set the example to others that it is okay to cross over into the world yet still look back toward God.  Our presence in the world is obvious but our authority which God gave to us as a gift is not and it shows, not so much to the world but in the eyes of God.  WE need to repent Church, return to God and once again proclaim His eternal love and grace to the dying world, not participate with it.

DLB

Your Delilah

Your Delilah

1/17/22

How many of us tend to hold onto things or people when we know they are not good for our survival?  It is a common thread in our lives to hear of such painful decisions and when we place love into this mix the entire process becomes deeper than we know, real fast.  It should be known that God does not wish for any harm to come to us on any level but for some reason, we continue to voluntarily invite it around.  God does not like bad influences to be introduced to us but He allows them to happen, hoping we remember His Words to us concerning relationships.  It is the job of our enemy to destroy us and to do as much as possible to make our lives insignificant enough to reach this devastating place.  This type of living state is not just confined to the individual level, it is regional and even national but if we turn to God and live under His Covenant, we shall not have to worry about anything bad eternally coming our way.

There have been many times in my life that I have invited people into my personal world that I should have stayed away from, but I thought that I knew who was best for my life and did not need to listen to any small still voice or the voices of my parents.  Many times as I look back on my life and ponder some of the bad times, I cannot believe I fell for such stupid rules and instances that did great harm instead of good.  What makes these memories so painful is that I knew that when I allowed such things into my life that they would only bring sorrow and grief, I knew this, and yet I still did it.  How dumb is this?  If I would have only stopped and listened I could have saved my heart and life from so much guilt and shame.

At the same time, I did not realize that I was actually playing out a very famous story in the Bible, the one of Samson and Delilah.  In fact, everyone who allows addictions, friends, other people, things of the world to influence them deep enough where it becomes a lifestyle and mental lie lives out such a story.  This feeling of worldly security dives deep enough that it overrides the truth about what is really playing out simply because we have allowed it to blind us enough that we can only fixate our sight, our blurred sight, on this object.  But we need to understand that these temptations and then invited parts of the world into our lives have a goal, a purpose that shall not serve our lives well at all, for the world and its inventions are not ever good.  It does not matter what the issue may become, when it does it places you, your existence, and your destiny into question.

All of us like to have routines that we get into, they make us comfortable about our life and many of us live in fear if that pattern is changed or broken in any way.  So, we do our best to run our lives according to the patterns we set and it is through this mistake of ours that Satan grabs a foothold and begins his work in destroying our lives.  We become so infatuated with keeping these patterns of ours that we fail to see the magnitude of their presence in our lives, we become dependent upon them and believe we cannot live without their presence all the time.  We fail to recognize that what we have allowed into our lives is a Delilah, a deadly presence that has been charged with a single motive and goal.

Judges 16:4-5

"And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.  And the lords of the Philistines came up to her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him; and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver."

The story for this article is well known and has been taught from many different angles and points, all of which are true and should be taken to heart for all of us are subject to such a Delilah.  There is n argument that Samson was a popular figure throughout all the land and that his supernatural power was not comparable to anything else before.  I know I have imagined of such strength from God and after a few minutes of dreaming my dreams are shattered due to the elevated responsibility of such a gift from God and how I probably would find a way to lose it through a Delilah.  What this story illustrates and paints for us is a woman and how that woman infiltrated God's chosen in order to destroy him and the gift that God gave to him as an example to others

It does not take long for us to read that Samson did not take the presence and the words of Delilah seriously because he told lies to conceal what God had given him. Not just once but many times Delilah turned Samson over to the authorities only to be fooled.  Even though God gave him a secret Samson had strict orders not to reveal it to anyone, a plane greater and higher than any other relationship on earth should touch.  It is this type of relationship that God gave Samson that He desires to have with you and me, one that is far greater and higher than any other physical relationship can offer.

The ways of the world and those who thrive in it have only one goal for your life, to destroy it and to make you weak then place you up for all to see in your defeated state, ultimately ending your life in an unfashionable manner.  The point God wants us to understand here is that Delilah is real and she is ready and willing to sell your life for any price that is offered.  What we tend to forget is that your Delilah does not have to appear in the form of a woman, your Delilah can be anyone or anything that draws your attention from what God has given you o do and the abilities to complete such gifts.  This plan is a common one and is talked about on a daily basis amongst friends, peers, and even church members, but for some reason, we treat this threat with kid gloves and honestly believe that we have not been tricked and deceived in this manner.

Remember, the world can only prepare a plan that it can see or operate through.  The only thing that the world can operate through is pain, chaos, agony, torment, and eventually death.  There is absolutely no life in the world and by whatever means the world grabs hold of you its Delilah has now become your Delilah.  Samson opened these doors of destruction by teasing and lying to Delilah and his entertainment became the doorway for his destruction.  Sex, lust, and love may not always be the precursor to gaining your Delilah but on some level, these shall play a part somehow in the process, there are countless ways that access can be granted.  

In some cases, we know that our Delilah is not good for us yet we continue to entertain her (its) presence in our lives only increasing the chances of us getting hooked on her (its) enticement.  Unfortunately, by the time we figure out that we have been tricked into giving up what God has specifically given to us, it is too late and we are already in the death trap of Delilah.  However, in most instances of this, we have no clue about what the dangers lie before us and we fall head over heels for what is presented.  Samson had no qualms about telling Delilah the key to his strength, and when the opportunity arose he did it freely and without hesitation.  The plot for his life had been planned, carried out, and executed with one final play to be done Delilah's payment.  She took such monies and walked away forever.

Your Delilah has an agenda and it is based squarely upon the payment that she (it) has been promised.  Your Delilah has no concern or cares for you for she (it) has been planted there by the world.  This is the major problem we have in the Church and it has seduced Her for all she is worth and has drained Her from every line of eternal strength possible.  We have been tricked by Delilah into giving up the eternal lifeline that God gave us in order for Him to communicate with us.  We no longer pray and commune with God, talk to Jesus or listen for the voice of the Holy Spirit.  We have been entertained by Delilah and we have thoroughly enjoyed her (its) presence around us and have warmly allowed her spirit to enter into our confines without hesitation.

We fail to even recognize her presence in our lives anymore, she is a part of us and has engrained herself so much that we do not mind calling her our Delilah, your Delilah, and their Delilah.  We no longer see the Kingdom of God as paramount in our lives nor do we even consider Him being a part of our lives any longer.  We also fail to understand that your Delilah is of the world and because of her presence in your life you no longer wish to have a relationship with God, the world shall do.  The comforts and familiarity of your Delilah take over enough that you do not recognize the destructive steps that the world is taking and more dangerously that you are now taking with her (it).  Repent, Church and turn your hearts back to God before total destruction comes your way; it is on the way but will you understand the Glory to which it is here?

DLB

Winter Of Death

Winter Of Death

1/8/22

This phrase has crossed our screens over the past few weeks with the intention of persuading you to comply with what certain people believe is to be true.  This phrase and ideology focus on one aspect of death and it has nothing to do with the most important aspect of death, eternity.  What are we to believe when such phrases become popular philosophy in the average person, and what can we expect to hear from others when it comes to either rejecting or accepting such a prediction?  God never intended for humans to be afraid and He surely did not intend for other humans to introduce fear into our lives.  We must be careful in adhering to such frivolous words and who speaks them, for when people produce such words they are not reciting the Word of God but the words of the world and it is our job to understand such devices and correct them by the Word of God as soon as possible for if we do not a wildfire will be around the corner and knee-jerk reactions may not be too favorable both physically and eternally.

A few weeks ago, the leader of this nation and the free world made a remarkable statement concerning what might occur if people did not follow the advice of the government and the so-called powers to be about vaccines.  Once again we have had to endure words of frustration and fear about a program that has been forced upon us because some folks believe differently than others, this is coercion at its weakest and total control over your life at best.  When the speculation of death is presented as a tool of trying to persuade people to do what you want them to do, it is totally unacceptable on all levels of human existence, especially since so many men and women have given their lives over the past two centuries so that we can choose what to do, how to say things, where to go and when to pray.  It is a disgrace to have to comprehend that this type of tactic is being held over our heads.

But this is not the worst of the issues that we have to think about, for we have a supposedly Christian leader in the highest position in this nation declaring that many people shall die this winter and not mentioning ONE time about life after people die.  It is a given that people die and that there is a greater percentage of people with the possibility of passing away during the winter season.  This statement of "winter of death" is nothing more than an evil scare tactic of the truth for we all know that we can pass from this life from a car accident, heart attack, cancer, being hit by a vehicle, or just simply die in our sleep from a freak stroke.  I know that this statement was made to the "common" people of this nation but we cannot forget that Kings, Queens, Princes, Princesses, and all other types of leaders fall into this death category as well.  I am not here to rant about the statement of the President, but I am here to speak to you about what is important on God's heart and not the President's and that is your eternal positioning after you take that last breath when God returns it unto Him.

Mr. Biden is correct in the fact that people shall die over the winter, however, he has no idea how many will succumb to such activity, nor does he have a crystal ball in the prediction of how long this time period of death will linger.  Furthermore, it is disturbing to know that he refuses to even talk about his commitment to Christ unless it is asked of him about one single issue other than that and his faith is mute, quiet, and dead.  This brings us to the Scripture verse for this article and it is as follows, it is a well-known verse too:

Hebrews 9:27

"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment."

A long while back, my father preached a message entitled "Come Before Winter", and the title and sermon have stuck in my mind ever since.  I do not remember every word of that sermon but I do know that it had to do with messages and visits from others being completed before winter set in.  Now, while travel is a tad harsh in winter thee days it was brutal during New Testament times and many people who ventured out during this season never returned home because of the conditions of the day and the lack of sophistication of travel methods.  People did not know how long they would live back in those days and that process is still true today.  We would like to believe that we will live to be an old ripe age but it is not guaranteed at all, what is guaranteed is that one day our physical lives shall end here on earth.  However, our life itself is not over, in fact, it is just beginning for each of us has a spiritual life as well that shall never die.

It is this portion of death that God wants us to be acutely aware of, for the world shall never tell you or teach you about this setting.  God has stated a few times recently in these messages that the ruler of this world is spiritually dead and that he cannot see things on the spiritual level.  This is a true statement from God and it needs to be understood as much as our minds and hearts can grasp, spiritually.  When a person is kept from the truth about their spiritual life it is easy for them to become spooked about issues that have the potential of causing death.  Even if death is not on the "table", any type of condition that has the potential of this type of permanent disruption wreaks havoc in our lives, the work of Satan has been initiated and instilled inside you and as long as his kingdom is present in your life the more it shall grow and eventually be a permanent fixture.

With all of the current hype of the viral settings of these past two years, it is sad to watch people become so tormented with lies and misinformation that it simply paralyzes them completely.  This setting has washed away every last bit of common sense from our thinking and it has been replaced with fear and control.  Over my lifetime, I have watched people become addicted to many substances and then go through the extreme pain of that addiction eventually consuming them completely.  It does not just stop on a substance level, there are those who live with other types of dependencies such as sports, money, information, status, to name a few all of which became controlling idols in their lives.  These levels of consumption are being witnessed by countless people today from the individual level all the way up to the government level which through this process can proclaim a "winter of death" curse over you and this land.

Mr. Biden is not wrong that people are going to die in this season, this is a given but it is demonic to place a viral curse over people and threaten blame on a certain few who do not wish to see things as you do.  Plus, there is an eternal issue here that Mr. Biden refuses to address and that is the spiritual aspect of life, it is totally left out of his grandeur, for your personal religion sickens God for you cry religion and nothing more, and this position itself is one that erases God from our lives and denies the truth about how to end such disease and sickness.  It is obvious you have no connection or relationship with God, so stop pretending that you do for you must always contend that your "winter of death" may appear shortly as well.  This is why there shall be no forgiveness from God to you and to many of your colleagues for He never knew you.

Your professions of this "winter of death" shall cover this land like never before and it shall bring a downfall so severe that our government and nation shall not be recognized; if only we would have repented and turned back to God for answers.  Our brilliance would be second to none but instead as one senator has recently stated, we are run by a bunch of idiots.  We have become this way ever since we systematically took God out of our lives, both publicly and privately.  This process was our choice and now the worldly replacement is demanding its pound of flesh and we have no choice but to offer it.  For all who wish, there still is a true hope of life even after our physical life is over and done with, this Way is called Jesus and He erases the so-called curse of the "winter of death".  What kind of hope is being presented to us, how can true hope be administered if the direction that we are offered ends in death?

What is frightening is that the real winter of death has already begun and, to be honest, it has been in full swing for quite some time now.  When you look at all of the attacks that this nation has endured over the past few decades it is amazing how much blood we have lost.  Furthermore, the replacement blood that we have used has not done its job and all it does is move around in our lives aimlessly without the needed supplies present in order to meet its responsibilities.  This is why we are in such a chaotic situation, for we have blinded ourselves so much from the correct Way to fix these issues and have lost the capability to lead in the manner in which we were established.  As stated above, Mr. Biden is correct in many ways about this phrase, but he is totally incorrect when it comes to how we will end these issues.

Church, where are we at?  It is pathetic that we have bought into such bullying tactics from many sources.  Yes, of course, measures should be taken so that issues could be dealt with correctly.  But why?  God wants us to see that if our stance for Him and His Ways were truly in our hearts we would have been provided with answers about how to end such things even before they started.  Yet, here we sit, even after two years of the world telling us what to do, what to say, and when to say it, this is NOT the authority God has given to us and we are in a heap of eternal trouble if we do not change this heart attitude now.  How dare we sit back and allow the kingdom of this world to rule over God, how dare we sit around and comply with this physical "winter of death" statement?  We are even worse than the world for we know the Truth and what is going to occur; no wonder God is going to shake His Church violently.  We need to boldly confront this lie of just physical "winter of death" and tackle the real issue of spiritual "winter of death" for its placement is far greater and deeper than just six feet under the ground.

We should be out on the streets proclaiming that man only dies once and that our spiritual hearts are ready for eternity.  We need to be speaking life into those who want a steady and true path of direction.  It is our responsibility to show the world who actually is in control and most importantly, tell the lost that Jesus died for their sins and that they have an eternal option when it comes to drawing their last breath and that when they do draw this last breath that it will not be their eternal last.  Times are just about to change Church and we need to be prepared to help people in both the physical and spiritual realms.  This is why it is so vital that we understand that the physical is not the most important aspect of our existence, it is the spiritual aspect.  Let us change now, Church for the time for playing games is over.  The existence of this land is about to change and it is true that many shall lose their lives but we can assure as many as we can that Jesus is their hope for their eternity.  Let's get to work!

DLB

Atheists Again

Atheists Again

1/4/22

How many of you know an atheist or know what the definition of atheist actually is?  Do you also know that being an atheist can cause severe repercussions against you and your family?  It has occurred in the past and is on the rise again today.  God has always maintained for His children to be separate from the world and to live a life that is completely contrary to the ways of the world and His position has not changed at all over the course of our history.  While the world cannot claim such stability, it instead demands compliance to the tune of the day and it is guaranteed that those who love Christ and follow His Word will fall out of this compliance category sometime during human control of the world.  These patterns have been witnessed many times and are once again coming back into motion during our lifetime, God's command is still to stand tall and bold for Him and His Ways and to become atheists again.

1 John 3:13

"Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you."

With all of the media coverage of every event and categorical news setting today, it is easy for some or even many to become the center of attention to the controversy.  It is a given that not every person in the world is going to completely agree with your opinion on issues; in fact, we could be considered lucky if people agreed with us completely on just a handful of issues, but not likely.  And, when such a disagreement comes about there will almost always be heated discussions and ill vibrations stemming from those who do not agree.  Recently, it seems like the majority of the world would rather film the participants of said ill discussions instead of trying to calm the setting down before punches or other types of physicalities occur.  It is not commonly talked about, but procedures such as these promote steps toward the antichrist and a world that revolves around him and his ideas, but it takes time and great effort to establish enough conditioning to enable such measures.  As we shall see shortly, these stepped measures did not start with our generations but have been in place for millennia.

Consequently, our thrill for the moment interview sessions declares our thirst for popularity instead of a humanity-seeking heart.  Whether or not we recognize the fact that when we conduct such interview and filming sessions as being hate speech and hate supporting, they promote and fuel activities that command hated respect and responses.  Furthermore, these activities of ours also point such hatred against not only others but toward ourselves with a deadly accuracy that cannot be understood until its pointed edge makes contact.  So, while we film these types of altercations and scream, hoop, and holler because our spot will hit the media world first, just remember that one day those arrows of self-absorbance shall literally do that, absorb into your body wanted or not.  It does not matter how much-pointed material shall be generated but it will matter when it strikes your life for when we apply this type of activity to our lives we should expect such return activity as a betrothal to us and nothing less.

Look at all of the attempts that the media and our government have produced in order to control your thoughts and your vote.  Mandating and political persuading people to comply with a thought or condition is grossly wrong and western societies have promoted destroying such actions for a very long time, so what has changed?  To those who comply with such statements and beliefs, you are hailed as a hero and one that should be recognized for your submitting and cooperation, placed into a separate fold with countless perks and rewards and the authority to belittle and blame others for everything that is wrong with each specific society.  Those who go against such decrees and documents are isolated from the societal presence, labeled as haters of stability and freedom, and thus do not deserve to be a part of any society on any level, even though data relating to such equities do not support such claims.  This results in deeper divisions and longer isolation times; eventually, if held long enough the public will forget you and not even give you another thought.  So, why keep you alive this long if you are not going to comply with what the current times say, becomes the cry of many.

It is a common belief that our modern societies would never stoop low enough to implement such limitations onto their citizens.  However, when you look at history and what the then so-called modern societies did to subdue people it makes total sense that the governments practiced such behavior.  The justifications of their actions fell across the same lines over and over, with a few minor changes in wording and usage of weaponry, according to the times.  Rome is a perfect example of such atheistic declarations against its own citizens.  This modern-day culture allowed for so many gods to be worshipped that it eventually sanctioned its own deities, ones that were representative of the government and way of life for every Roman citizen and group.  As time passed the number of gods worshiped by people became mandatory and required homage to the statues of them placed around the city streets.  

It is through this type of belief that total submission to these gods became compulsory and that if anyone was observed not paying homage to these statues when encountered that they would immediately be subject to the laws of the land.  The laws that were in place came straight from the State and could be enforced at a drop of the hat; yet, they could be easily followed and forgiven if only the person or people involved would pay homage and worship the god-like statue.  Seems easy to correct and to the majority of the Romans, it was no big deal to do such a task, even if they did not believe in that specific god.  "Lip service" was popular and could be seen as the duty of the citizens in order to keep their oath as Roman citizens.

It is this action by the Roman government that created them to enact laws for those who did not bow and worship the gods of the government.  Since it was a State mandatory to do such a thing, the ones who did not comply became enemies of the State and were branded atheists.  This carried a high price if they did not recant and turn to bow to the government.  Most people did such a turn but the Jews and Christians did not and fought against these laws.  Eventually, the Roman government placed them in prison and then executed them by feeding them to the lions or making them physically fight for their life against other human beings, either way, the government and the compliant people of Rome sought these adventures through their own entertainment arenas.

Each society throughout human history has found a way to rid itself of people that they deem unclean, unhuman, or unworthy of existing.  These societies have also found ways to justify such behavior and became very effective in conducting thorough and elaborate trials in which to conclude their answer for these people.  once a process of any like has begun, it is almost impossible to stop and when we study such societies it is not hard to see the steps that were taken before the atrocities began and then became a rolling conglomerate of willing participating organizations and individuals.  This type of activity is the pinnacle of dead god worship and is guaranteed to occur if allowed to flourish on a national or worldwide level.  It is not a matter of if this type of thinking will appear, it is just a matter of time for we cannot forget that when the world is in charge of lives it will seek out those who do not subscribe to its ways and do its best to destroy them.

Every time I sit and read or hear about the brave Christians of the Early Church and what they had to endure, I feel totally ashamed for their faithfulness to God and to the witness of Jesus Christ cannot be compared.  I have not had to defend my faith too much over my five decades of life; there have been a few times, however, but nothing like being forced to fight another person to live or to have to be lion food in waiting.  All of this gruesomeness because some stood up for their belief in God alone and boldly proclaimed Him to be the Highest and Only God alive.  They willingly took the label of atheist, traitor, and enemy of the State for a calling from God to be to others; a pure example of being a witness and what the world shall do to you if you do not follow it.

The question of the day is are you willing to become an enemy of the State, a traitor, or an atheist for God against the ruling governments?  It is a simple answer, a yes or no kind.  Are you willing to become ridiculed, made fun of, or even prosecuted for your faith in Christ?  Are you willing to become a martyr for the cause of Jesus Christ?  This question really should not even have to be asked for it is the job and mission of the Church (you) to spread the gospel of Jesus to the dying world.  See, even if a government or nation is 100% thriving in the world it is still spiritually dying and it does not matter where or who that nation is or represents.  This nation falls into this category and yet we sit back and believe our eternity is secured, how wrong and sinful we are!

I do not know when or how the antichrist shall come into power, but I know that his presence has been prophesied and it shall come to pass.  I also am saddened that people who have been in church all of their lives fail to recognize that this process is already occurring and that if we do not get our spiritual eyes and ears open that it will be too late to stop this person from taking over both the physical and spiritual lives of the world.  Satan has done a superb job in fooling people that the mark of the beast shall be just a tattoo or mark on the forehead or hand but what we have refused to understand is that Satan is a spirit and he moves through the flesh so that means his advances and takeovers are both, not just one side of our existence.  Remember, to be an atheist you do not have to carry a card or have some type of physical marking to be as such, only what lies within your heart and what or whom you swear allegiance to matters.  Also, this belief measure (faith) is exactly what it takes to be a Christian.

Church, we have epically failed in understanding and believing in this fact and we have to repent of our sins and turn back to the Word of God in order for us to slow down this process of eternal damnation.  We have ignored the steps that this nation and others similar to her have taken toward ushering in the antichrist.  We have instead embraced the belief that we can be friends with the world and to incorporate their lives with ours and win them over, but look at what has occurred, the world has won us over and we now are so intertwined with the world that we follow their every command and whim.  We are lost Church, and one day very soon we shall regret this choice-making process of ours.  The Glory of God shall make its appearance and when it does we shall be a part of its shaking.  Turn your heart around and repent NOW!  We have no choice but to wear the term atheist again and stand firm in that choice and be the light to the world instead of its friend.

DLB