Original Composition

Original Composition

4/9/14

When we think of a composition we automatically veer towards the music industry.  And while this would be a safe assumption we must take into consideration that most objects that we recognize are made up of many elements with themselves form a composite.  Our bodies are one giant compound of organic material that needs many different types of molecules all working together in order to complete the necessary tasks that we require to live each day.  It is fascinating to me to study the human body and to try and understand all of its coordinated functions that readily depend upon each other for survival.  If only we could have this same realization about our Creator, all of our problems would simply fade away.

Most of you know that I love history.  Many of my articles have dealt with history and how mankind has fumbled, kicked, muddled and raced through history.  While mankind tries to perfect their individual lives we tend to prove that life sometimes represents a four letter word and not the desired diamond that we so wish to create.  Many of us throw our wishes to the wind and give up on becoming something great within society while we look at others with absolute jealousy and loathe their every success.  How as individuals does other people’s successes define us, or should that process even be a part of our thinking?  We need to keep in our forethoughts that each person is created for a specific purpose and each purpose has its own design which will provide the world with another portion of the great solution of why we were created.

Ever since I was a little boy I have been involved in music.  I have played instruments all of my life and I have listened to almost every genre of music that has been written.  How music strikes my ears and then infiltrates my soul and spirit I might never understand completely, but all I can say is that there is no other greater physical feeling than I can receive than when I hear some type of music that I enjoy being played.  Classical music is my favorite genre and I listen to it almost every day.  If you ask my parents, wife or children all of them will say that my entire demeanor changes when I am listening to this style of music.

Has anyone ever asked you this question?  If you were able to complete the one thing that you have always desired to do in your life, and you had every resource available to you, what would that one thing be?  The answers to this question would surely vary so widely that it would be difficult to group them all together, but this point alone demonstrates how individualistic we humans are and how great it is to be unique in this manner.  I too have an answer for this question and I have always stuck to this answer and I really do not believe that my answer will ever change, especially since I am kind of fulfilling what I have always wanted to do.

My answer to this question would be to complete a four movement symphony.  As I stated above classical music has meant so much to my life and its presence in my life has helped pull me through some difficult times.  I do not know what I would do if the availability of music was taken from my world, but I trust that as much of it that I have listened to over my four decades of life that I could recite some of these works from memory if needed.  While my love for music grows each day, composing a musical work is still way beyond my comprehension.  The people who lead, direct and compose music utterly amaze me since it is those people who truly lead and organize others together to produce a wonderful sound together.

I have no idea if I will ever have the time or ability to complete my dream of a musical composition, but in another way God is allowing me to fulfill my dream and that is through writing.  While my articles are not musical in the physical sorts, they are a composition that fulfills a destiny that God had in store for my life.  If someone would have asked my five years ago if I would be continually producing articles for others, I would have laughed in their face and then would have followed up with my dream of writing music and how that dream would be more readily acceptable in my head.  Up until a few days ago I did not make any connection to these examples and how they accurately fulfill my dream of composing.

Writing a book, article, short story, manuscript, etc is very similar to composing music.  All of these examples have to accurately coordinate so that the reader understands exactly what the composer is trying to convey.  While my writing is not considered to be of a professional caliber, it does get its point across to someone out there and that is exactly why I write.  I so not ever know what will ever become of my writings nor will I probably ever understand to what effect it may have on an individual, but I do know that God shows me things to write, whether it is on a personal level or a general one, and I complete what He shows me, for I know He directs my words in such a manner that will appeal to someone that needs them.

Writing has become my musical composition and it is an instrument to which God uses through me to speak His words to others.  I have watched many performers use beat up and old instruments and when they are played produce the most elegant sound to any ear that is around.  I trust that the words that I use in these writings produce that same sweet and inspiring tune so that God can use them in a person’s life.  While my writings are not in musical notes they are my composition and a fulfillment of my life long desire to compose and I just pray that by the time I reach the age of 80 years old, that I will have completed the first chord of the first movement of my four part symphony.

I do not believe that I would have ever understood what God wanted me to do with my life if I had not been listening for the truth.  I look at many lives each day and I notice how much pain they are in without even speaking a word to them.  I have been witness to so much heartache and death over my tenure in the medical field that if I had the capability to remember every detail of these people’s lives I could write continually nonstop until the day I take my last breath.  I often wonder if any of these people know God and what their life means to Him and to the overall plan that He has for them.  I also ponder the thought of how everyone else’s life would be different if that one person who is feeling miserable all of the time understood that he / she had a specific purpose for the world, instead of being lied to an believing that they were just put here to occupy space.

In such an unsettling time in our world, it is so vital that every one of us understand that our lives have a specific meaning and it is our duty to find this true meaning.  The world cannot afford to have wandering souls trolling up and down the streets gazing out at the thin air and sucking in uninhabitable standards for themselves.  How can we face reality when we are accepting this type of activity in our lives?  How can we function if all we wish to do is to deter reality for a few hours or so; then a few more hours, and so forth?  What kind of composition is this and what will be the end result of this work effort?  I do not believe that it is difficult to contemplate this outcome.  This destroys the very essence of our lives and annihilates the uniqueness that we have within our lives.

I understand how easy it is to lose oneself in our selfish wants instead of focusing upon the specifics of our individuality.  But these specifics are the items that define us and serve as the foundation of our gifts to the world.  With everything that is occurring in the world today I can easily understand why it would be less difficult to hide the truth and fill our rooms with the ambiance of peace, tranquility and love.  But this type of state does not fulfill our true destiny and the reason why we were created; it only serves our feelings and toots our own horns instead of fine tuning our instruments for the conductor.  I challenge you to stop polishing your bells and look up to what the conductor has for you to play.  It will take some practice but I guarantee that the end result will be a true witness to a dying world.

I hated to practice my piano lessons.  There was nothing about my practice sessions that I enjoyed.  It took time away from me playing outside, playing in organized sports or spending time with my friends.  However, the only thing that it did keep me from doing was my actual homework but I could not count this as too much joy for I did not like the alternative too much.  Not many people like to spend the added time practicing what they already believe to know, yet when one does practice they sharpen their skills and become a better student and player all at the same time.  This is exactly what we need to do with our lives and the only way that we can effectively find out what our composition to the world is, is to listen to our conductor.  How many years do we waste listening to our enemy and his goons in order to deter our true calling in life, this is a huge issue that we need to recognize and then realize so that we can begin to fulfill our own purposes.

I have been involved in the medical field for almost 30 years of my life and I have enjoyed each and every one of them.  I have been in Delta, Colorado for almost 22 years now and have been working the laboratory for all of this time.  I have served in many capacities during my tenure including the evening shift, day shift, Oncology and even serving as the Phlebotomy Supervisor for three years.  I would not trade anything for my experience at this facility and I am so proud to have been associated with this organization for as long as I have been here.

During my time as Phlebotomy Supervisor I had many duties that I was responsible for, and one of my specific responsibilities included all of the creation, maintaining and updating of policies.  When I took over that position there were very few official policies in place and many of the ones that were needed had to be written.  I had no idea at that time that this step in my life was actually a training mission that God had for me.  Up until this point I had no desire to write anything or write about anything but in this position I was forced to write things. These policies had to be factual, correct and specific yet at the same time they required my workers to understand everything that was involved with these policies.  My workers had to understand each detail of the policies in order for them to adequately and correctly complete their job.  I had no idea that a few years after I took another position within the laboratory that God would use those writing skills that He no doubt developed through my Phlebotomy Supervisor position.

The most funny and ironic portion of my time as Phlebotomy Supervisor was that while I was creating and developing my writing skills for my profession, God was instilling me principles about His future for my life without me even knowing it.  And to be honest during my tenure in this post I was not really following God like I should have been, yet He was taking care of me and guiding me all at the same time.  I cannot argue this point even though at the time I had no idea of what was being developed within my life.  I do thank God for the opportunity that I had in that position and I now kind of understand the path that I took and not the path that I wanted.  For even though I was not following God in all categories of my life, I was still following the ultimate dream of my life and those separate entities within my life I clearly see now.

As our bodies need each element within to function in coordination with the other similar elements so do our lives with God.  We can spend a lifetime searching for what we want to do with ourselves and not even come close to an answer.  We must keep our hearts open to God and to His ways for our lives for it is the job of our enemy to make sure that we keep our focus upon ourselves instead of the truth.  All God asks of you is for you to seek His ways with an honest heart.  A person cannot find God if he / she does not ask with an honest heart.  Seeking God through human ways is an anomaly and God will show you quickly that His ways are not ours.  But it is at this realization that brings God closer to mankind and mankind closer to God.  Just as God created you as an individual person He will respond to you in an individual manner.

The only way that we will ever understand our true purpose in life is if we turn our hearts back to God.  In a world where people are asking questions about their lives every second of each day, it is astounding to think that the majority of them immediately reject God and His ways.  While it is hard for me to believe that people reject God’s truths, it is not hard for me to understand why those same people ignore God because of the idiotic standards and past crimes that people of God have committed.  I am appalled at the content of some churches today and the messages that they portray towards the world.  These actions only flame up more questions and burn a hardening ash within their spirits, further separating them from the One who has the capability to change their lives.

Each one of us was created as an individual and uniquely made in order to fulfill a divine purpose.  Our enemy will go as far as using God’s house and His name in order to destroy this purpose.  God and His Word are the only answer that can ensure that our purpose be fulfilled.  It is not the man or woman that stands behind the pulpit, nor is it a leader of a country.  God is that only person and it is He who has created the entire universe as we know it and it is He that has created you.  God will allow you to search in every corner of the world for your truth but guarantees you will not find your fulfillment until you turn back to Him.  God is the person who originally composed you and therefore is the only one who can show you to your perfect four part symphony.

DLB

The Dire Question for the Church

The Dire Question for the Church

4/5/14

This topic is guaranteed to step on some toes but it is one that needs to be addressed by each and everyone who considers themselves a part of the Church.  There are no denominational walls for this topic nor are there any regional artifacts that have to be taken into consideration.  It is strictly a question that one needs to answer in order to define their stance and presence within the Church that Jesus established and not the church that man has tried to ordain based upon human ideologies.  The question is a simple one yet it has the implications of life and death, and with the events surrounding our global community that probably means both physical and spiritual conditions.

I have been reading about the time period of 1774 through 1790 and all of the history that transpired through our nation’s borders.  The bravery of the colonists, both men and women, who had the courage to take a stand for their freedoms through their lives and what it meant to an entire nation to complete this task.  I was reading about the First Continental Congress that convened in 1774 and what their actions meant to the colonies and to Great Britain.  The idea of men standing up against a ruling king and demand that he rescind his troops, truncate his laws for the colonies, and play “fair” when it comes to taxes and other legal aspects of colonial rule.  The mere thought of electing such men to serve as delegates to this sort of rebellious event would warrant severe punishment to those that participated in the election process, not to think about what might happen to those who were elected.

The First Continental Congress did not convene for too long of a time but the signal that they sent to Britain was a beacon that could not be shut off and that was evident to the world that the cause of the colonists would not be denied.  Immediate response of distrust, anger and vile reparations soon followed from the king and those responses only deepened the wounds that had been opened from the first onset of strikes.  No colonist would escape the hatred and forced living conditions that Britain had placed upon them yet there were those who still defended the practices of their rulers and refused to participate in such rebellious events; but they too were included in the violence against the colonies, for no one was exempt.

The colonists then formed a Second Continental Congress and followed it up with a Third Continental Congress and with each session they brought new demands and regulations for Britain to concede.  At every turn Britain laughed in their faces and placed harsher conditions upon the colonists with the idea in mind that the more punishment that was being doled out the faster that they themselves would quell the uprisings and end their rebellious activities against the Crown.  Whether British Intelligence ignored the threats of the colonists’ demands or simply believed that the colonists were not strong enough to fend for themselves in such manners.  Both sides of the story are well documented and both sides are well debated but in the end it was strictly up to the colonists in how they would respond to the continual threats and harsh demands placed upon them by their distant rulers.

As most of us know that the next few years of our nation’s past were very rough and the decisions that were made in order to ensure our freedom from the distant rulers took nothing less than absolute bravery from each and every one who stood their ground in those decisions.  The tensions were so high that the men, women and children who actively participated in this campaign had effectively signed their own death warrants because of the decisions that they had made.  These decisions were not easy for everyone to make, for each person within the colonies understood completely what was at stake and at the same time fully understood what their decisions meant for themselves and for their families, possibly for generations to come.

Of course there were those that did not believe or could not believe that either side of this issue would ever go as far as to point a rifle at the other in order to demand their own wishes.  As history records this type of belief has dominated throughout humanity’s brains even while their families are burying those that refused to set up the entire scope of the human mind and set it into play.  It is ok to have these types of wishes, thoughts and hopes but one must draw the conclusion that when one deals with humans, one must always take into consideration every step that might be played out.

A further complication appeared when it was revealed that one third of the colonies wanted freedom, one third was indifferent about the situation and the last third wanted no part of the freedom movement and vowed their loyalty to the Crown.  This setting is a prime example of when there are more than two people in a room everyone knows that those people will not agree upon everything is questioned. Gaining or trying to gain independence from a ruling entity does not come cheaply and usually comes with great sacrifice.  While I believe that deep down inside basically every colonist knew that freedom was necessary not everyone of them was willing to accept the desire and the fight for that freedom.

The fight for freedom was long and hard with many disappointments along the way.  Many lives were at stake and many lives were taken in defense of this freedom and truth that the colonists desired.  Yes, there were still those who did not like the conditions that were being enforced upon their lives yet they refused to fight for the defense of this concept.  They still lived and accepted the results of this freedom after the tough situations were finished.  Their fight for freedom cost many lives and tens of thousands of families were affected by the outcome of that cause.  The colonists put behind their differences in order to unite themselves against a common enemy, which is exactly the purpose of why the Church was designed. 

Whether one draws the same conclusion to our country’s beliefs of not, the outcome was a great reward for those who sought after true freedom from a slave mentality.  Even though this country and its inhabitants were not officially considered slaves, their lifestyles of oppression and occupation did exist and it widely recognized that each move was under governed control.  How many of you understand that this type of setting is exactly what the Church has voluntarily drawn herself into?  I can guess that there are not many of you out there since the spiritual voice and the heart of the Church is dead quiet on the matter.

It is obvious that the Church does not see the dire circumstances that she is living in, nor does she feel the urgency in which God is telling her to get up and to leave the situation that she has created for herself.  There is a reason that the Church was created and there is a divine purpose for her existence on this earth, yet I also strongly believe that we have allowed selfish desires in overcome our true mission, even though we claim to be doing the will of God.  The early Church is a prime example of selfish desires and wants especially when it came to glorification of themselves.  How many programs of conversion arose from such thoughts and plans of mankind were exemplified to the dying public just to say that one had found the truth in one God.  The concept of relationship with God was thrown out the window in order to preserve the boundaries of religion, all of course was based upon uncertain historical beliefs and practices, instead of seeking God for true divine guidance.

How many fractures did this belief of self worthiness cause within the ranks of the Church?  This evidence cannot be denied even from the early church fathers.  Who would ever believe the truth that comes from the same mouth that says one must repent but even after you repent one must pay a certain amount of monetary servitude in order to be granted “free” access to God’s Kingdom?  I could list thousands of skirmishes, battles and wars all based upon the name of God and each time could refer to the lack of relationship those horrific events instilled.  Oh, we have got the divisive portion of God’s Revolution down and how we have thoroughly polished these divisions.  Many of us are actually proud of these divisions that lie between us, some even work to deepen the division while having a smile upon their physical and spiritual faces; of course, all in the name of God.

Will there ever come a time that the Church wakes up enough to hear the voice of God again and to hear what His message to His Church is?  The colonists fought battles on both sides of the war issue, one side being the British and the other side being themselves in order to muddle their way through a difficult decision.  The Church is fighting amongst herself in order to see who the best is and who can come up with the best plan of acceptance.  To be unified does not mean that one or another person is correct about a situation or belief, if fact what a unified Church means is that they have a common goal of proclaiming Jesus Christ as the savior to the world and that they represent Him through a daily life of holiness as an example to this dying world.  They do not pin themselves up within the walls of a building but go out and be a light to this darkness that surrounds the world.

It is this type of light that the colonists had to use in order to free themselves from the tyranny that the British was subjugating them under. It was this type of lifestyle that the Jewish nation lived under while working for the Egyptians, even though friendly terms had been the founding of those conditions.  Take for example the slaves that were brought over to this country and how they were tricked and lied to in order to voluntarily leave their homeland and mission in life.  It is these same conditions that the Church functions in with the world today. 

The Church has voluntarily succumbed to the lies of the world in order to be accepted by the world.  Do you understand what that means?  It means that at one time the Church understood that there was a difference in her status than from the world.  But for some reason, and there is a long list of them, she has forgotten this difference and has accepted the list of reasons within herself in order to be accepted by the world instead of being different from the world.  It is these items on the list that we have stared at for a long time and through the constant tugging of the world have allowed our eyes to take a serious look at the items instead of keeping our focus on the difference that God has set as our standard.

The colonists understood that they were different than the British and would not accept the British ideas and rule over their lives.  But as long as they continued to live in division their cause floundered and only caused further tensions for everyone.  The Church is in the exact same place with the exact same principles in play.  She is set apart from the world and is the prime example of what God wants from humanity, an individual relationship that is like no other.  God wants nothing to do with religion, He does not want anything to do with human theology all He has ever wanted is to have a relationship, a true relationship with His creations.  Having a relationship with us would be the ultimate slap in the face to His enemy and to ours for He understands that nothing else matters after the initiation and growth of this relationship.

The colonists grew together after they accepted each other and were placed within a common cause.  They understood that they had differences still, but those were placed upon the back burner so that the real cause of their lives could be fulfilled.  This is exactly what we are to be doing against our enemy.  Yes we will have differences but we must drop those petty and humanistic views and engage in the truth of what we as the Church are supposed to be doing.  Christ said that He was a sword and He was / is correct.  He will divide and He is supposed to divide.  And what He is supposed to divide is us from the world so that we may restore the line of communication with God so that we may understand His desire for a relationship.

It was evident that the colonists had the capability and the know how to gain their independence.  The main question for them was if they had the true desire to get up and stand together and get the job done.  This situation presents two questions about the colonists with the first question being if the colonists could muster up enough inner guts to realize that they could actually make a difference in their lives. Answering this question forms the foundation of our drive and how we will act or react to the future and in the case of the colonists it was a life or death answer that ensued.  The same goes for the Church in that she must realize that she does have the authority to get up out of the mud that she has placed herself into and take that first step to regain the life that her bride requires from her.  Now at this point the choice is still hers to make, just as the colonists did and as in the time of the colonists, the answer that the Church gives will mean life or death. This is a huge question that all of us have to answer about ourselves at some point in life, but while it is a huge question it is not the dire question that both the colonists and the Church must answer.

The dire question for the colonists was that even though they understood the task before them, and that they knew things were going to be tough they still had to ask themselves and then answer themselves if they had the willingness to set forth in motion their desires and mission. The colonists had very little to work with in terms of supplies but they did everything they could to muster enough support and supplies to get the job done over time.  It was not easy by any means and many of those who fought suffered greatly and many did not return to their families intact.  But it was a price that they were willing to pay for their freedom and to tell the truth of what was occurring within their lives.  What about it Church?  Do you / we have the desire to actually fulfill the mission that we have been given to do?  We have everything that we need to get the job done yet we continue sit back and refuse to get the job done.

Accepting the ways of the world into our doors is not what God has commanded us to do.  Yes, we should accept those people who are sinners and want to hear the truth about their lives but we cannot allow sin to voluntarily sit in the pews and solidify its presence within the Church without attending to its corruption.  Something to think about here and that is if we do not address the sin that is rampant within our own church walls then how can we truthfully call out sin while we are out in the world?  It cannot be done and it is this situation that begs the Church to answer the dire question.  Are you going to stand up and change your direction and focus and to use the gifts that God has provided for you, to go out and change not only your standing but those who want a true change as well?  In other words, whose revolution are you going to support, yours or God’s?

DLB

Choosing Darkness

Choosing Darkness

4/2/14

How is that when we are afraid that we revel in our present darkness but refuse to turn on a light for guidance?  Many of us have tried our best to stumble around a room when it is dark believing that we know exactly what and where everything is located.  The same lies true for when we are scared and are in the same conditions, instead of turning on a light to equal the setting we hide and hope that conditions change on their own.  What about living in prolonged darkness, do we actually become used to that condition or just oblivious to what is around us?  It is important for us to understand that living within these dark conditions will affect our physical and spiritual lives and bad outcomes will ensure in both circumstances if we do not change the playing field.

The majority of us have some type of fear or animosity when it comes to the dark.  Many childhood memories of being afraid in the dark rattle our minds and for some bring back severe crisis situations that stir up deep hidden emotions from within.  I am not an exception to this rule and my troubles with the dark began when I was in Salinas, California; approximately in the 5^th grade.  When I was a youngster I was not the most fearless person in the world.  I had my childhood hang-ups of course but on almost every level I proved myself to be very cautious especially when it came to the areas of the unknown or uncertain conditions around me.

There were no horror movies that had penetrated our household nor were there any type of horrific monster themes that were allowed in my room, so on that aspect of open doors, those settings was closed.  The normal routine was followed by everyone in the house and I was comfortably tucked into my bed.  My room door was mostly closed with a small crack left open as always and up until that night I paid no attention that my closet door was open.  No matter what the conditions might have been, I still had a human brain and it functioned quite normally in the fact that at one point in time I had a nightmare.  This dream I had entailed that someone was trying to get to me while I was trying to sleep.  In my dream whoever the person was came from out of the closet in order to obtain his access to my sleeping world but for whatever reason I decided to wake up at that very moment and hear what was going on.

I was frightened like never before and really had no clue of what to do next.  I knew that my glasses were on the table next to me but I dare not leave my bed for fear of giving the intruder direct access to my physical being.  Confusion ruled the moment so in my young human decision making I did what any other human would do and that was duck my entire body under the covers and screamed for help. It was not too much longer until my parents came into the room and immediately turned on the light, asking me what the problem was. After I was convinced that it was friendly voices I was hearing I moved the covers from my face and took a quick glance around the room and then did my best to focus my eyes on my parents.

As I looked around the room I noticed that nothing was out of its place and that there was no evidence that anyone had been in my room. I stared at my closet door and then asked one of my parents to look inside the closet for that is where the person came out of.  After a thorough search, mainly to comfort me, my parents said that there was nothing wrong with my closet and that I had nothing to worry about any longer.  I asked that they would close my closet door just to be sure, which they did without any hesitation.  Reluctantly I agreed that they could go on with their evening activities.  At that moment I was not thinking about that as soon as they reached my door that they would turn off my light again but that moment became very interesting as soon as it arrived.

I felt myself being in the exact same predicament as before my parents rushed into my room a few moments before, scared and restless and having nothing else on my mind but surviving the night.  I eventually calmed down enough to fall asleep and did not have any more bad dreams that night, but as soon as I hit the floor in the morning I made another sweep of my closet making sure that no one was present inside my room except for me and the necessary items that I had in my room.  Being a youngster I did not even think about that it was light outside nor did I think about that when my parents came into my room the night before that the first thing that they did was to turn on my light.  I was just concerned about how dark it was and who I believed was trying to get to me while I was alone in my room.  I really have not had too many more nightmares throughout my life and I usually sleep pretty well each night, but I must confess that even today my closet door still has to be closed each night.

We all know that the majority of the crimes that are committed around the world occur at night.  It does not matter if they are within the confines of a house or building or they occur in the open air, the nighttime seems to be the better setting since the victim is usually at the disadvantage because of the dark conditions.  The criminal has the best opportunity because they know exactly where you are and has sought you out without you knowing about their presence close by.  Add the darkness to the setting and they have the perfect ambush setting to complete their thievery.

I find it kind of amusing that no matter what the situation might be, we humans like to stay within the confines of the dark instead of trying to reach the safety of a light source when times are troubled.  However, I guess if one tries to function within those limits then e question begs if we deserve to be treated in this frightful manner?  Do we enjoy these settings with a sense of pride in order to fit in with society or do we just take glory in our settings without taking comfort in our security?  Being left in the dark is an old cliché that really defines this type of condition and one that needs to be addressed since if we allow this physical darkness to thrive around us we must remember that we will allow spiritual darkness to infiltrate our lives as well.

It is a proven fact that when a person is placed in a dark setting their senses becomes limited.  Their perception of the surroundings becomes obscured and they are placed at a disadvantage when it comes to their security.  As in the example of my bad dream the first thing that my parents did when they entered into my room was to turn the light on.  A novel concept eh, why didn’t I think of doing that? Turning the light on in my room leveled all fields that were in play at the moment.  If someone was in my room my parents would have seen who it was and would have turned the tables of the situation.  But in reality no one was there and everything was in order, just as it should have been.  But I could not see this until that light was on, even though I did not have my glasses on at the time I could see enough that I knew nothing was out of place.

Our eyes are a wonderful organ that gives us so many advantages over obstacles.  And with our eyes having the capability to adjust at night to allow more “light” into our eyes when our surroundings are dark, it gives us the ability to navigate in dark conditions.  However, even though we can see our surroundings after our eyes adjust to the dark, we still cannot know every detail that is around us.  We miss so many things when we are walking at the dark or if we are sitting in a dark room.  While this is a natural form that we must endure it still places us in a “setup” position if we are not careful.  Not many of us tend to wander around the streets at night, for we all know that this setting places us in a very dangerous position.  Even if we change our patterns or course, we are still at a disadvantage for even with the change of pace or timing, we still cannot see those who are lurking about.

So if the darkness is not a friendly environment why do we continue to harbor ourselves within its provisions?  Have we lost the consciousness that being in the dark is a security risk and even if we try and hide ourselves from the things that go bump in the night that as long as we do not take measures to change the light settings that our circumstances will not be on the level?  There are a couple of passages in Psalms that I want you to refer to and they are Psalms 88:12 and Psalms 143:3.  Both of these passages use the word dark in them but while the English language has problems discerning between different origins of words, the Hebrew language does not.  What also is fascinating about these words is that they are related to each other and represent a progressive attachment to our lives.

In the Psalms 88 passage the word dark is used as the physical kind or the darkness that represents night, or a room with the lights turned off.  The verse also refers to the wonders of God and everything that He has provided for us.  If we are scared in this type of darkness and do the common human thing by hiding under our covers as I did when I had the bad dream, we are sunk.  We have no choice but to accept our current surroundings as fact if we do not level our playing field.  The only way that I could have understood that no one was in my room that night was when my parents turned on the lights and so goes the exact same setting of our physical lives.  If we choose not to turn on the light source that provides us with a guiding light, we will always live in fear and will not be effective for what God has commanded us to complete.

The passage in Psalms 143 refers to another type of darkness but one that involves a more direct and long term condition.  The word used here for darkness refers to a death, destruction type of setting which is an advancement of the word “dark” used in the previous verse. This darkness represents a progressed state and one that has permanent results on a person or group.  We can relate this type of darkness to spiritual darkness for it takes time for the physical to infiltrate the spiritual.  Once this infiltration occurs, our spiritual side becomes direct targets for lethal attacks on our lives.  Our enemy does not care what conditions we are in nor does he care what situations we are enduring, he will use our status against us at any opportunity that presents itself.

If our enemy recognizes that we are not willing enough to turn on our physical lights to reveal the truth about our surroundings, then he will take the authority by which we give him and begin to work on our spiritual darkness.  Whether we choose to acknowledge it or not our enemy watches us and knows how we are going to respond to thins as they occur in our lives.  Humans do this on a physical basis so why wouldn’t our enemy use this tactic on our spiritual lives as well?  This progression is a logical process and it is one that we have allowed to continue until we have become so engrossed with our distorted dark surroundings that we actually feel comfortable walking in the dark. The longer that we walk in these dark conditions, our distortion will eventually open the door for a perverted spiritual darkness which provides an open season upon our spiritual beliefs.

There is a specific reason that God has said that we should separate ourselves from the world.  Living in the darkness is a huge reason as to why this truth is a fact and that we should not gamble with the world’s acceptance for any reason.  Look at the Church and the condition that she is in today.  She has done her best to follow the leaders of the world and their accomplishments according to the world.  She has left her calling from her groom and has chosen to abandon her light source.  It is time that someone (the Church) stands up and turns on that light, for if the light is not activated our hope is gone.  We have become comfortable enough to ignore what the scriptures have taught us and in this realm of beliefs we have forgotten that God will include the Church in whatever trials and shaking that He must do in order to grab our attention.

I was talking with one of our good family friends the other night and he told me that everyone has some type of fear when it comes to the dark.  He told me a quick story about when he was young and that not many people that he knows have had the same type of fear at some point in their lives.  He also said that God must have placed this fear of the dark into our lives so that we may recognize these conditions when they present themselves.  What a beautiful concept and such truth from him, and Him.  This recognition and fear factor is a part of God’s completeness and demonstrates that He has instilled into our lives every aspect of security and protective needs that we need to survive the world, not to join it.

Spiritual darkness also incorporates the blindness of our eyes to the signs and wonders that God has provided for us as warning signals to what the condition of our lives, the Church and individuals have become.  It is imperative that we turn on God’s light within our lives so that we can understand what is exactly transpiring around us and to stop our enemy from stealing our livelihood and willingness to thrive as God’s Kingdom.  It is time for each one of us, the Church and our nation to repent and to turn from our wicked and darken ways.  The only way that peace and prosperity will ever return to our physical hearts and to our spiritual hearts is if we complete this task and to turn form our current status of lying in the dark.  Restoration does not and cannot be completed in the dark; it must have light in order for the process to be correctly administered.

This status can only mean one thing.  You and I need to lose the world’s darkness and turn on the light of God.  There can be no life without the light of God in our lives.  His light provides us with every security measure needed in order to maintain a healthy physical and spiritual life.  If you choose to continue in the world’s darkness, it will be proud to lead you down a dead end path.  The other choice is to read history, follow mankind’s actions from the past and see where our beliefs are taking us, but when these are placed in the light, God will surely provide the necessary answers of how to defend ourselves against the world.  But restoration can only occur if we stop, turn from our ways and allow God to intervene and shine His light into our lives.

DLB

Paul Morris

Paul Morris

3/31/14

There are certain times in our life that we may endure some hardships that are beyond our control.  Having to deal with a loved one or close friends falls into this category which none of us really wish to believe that this time will ever come to our lives.  But, like every other person on this planet these times do present themselves and we have to find a way to muddle through them.  This type of setting presented itself to me and my family over this past weekend with not just one death but two.

The first of these settings came on Saturday afternoon when it was made known that one of my good friends and coworkers Morris had passed away.  While Morris was not a lifelong friend of mine he had become a good mentor to me during the time that we worked together. Morris was a retired minister who had served in the army of God for many decades.  His enthusiasm and projection of hope to the people around him served a greater purpose than many ever knew.  Even though I did not have the opportunity to sit under his ministry I could tell that I would have been blessed by the words that he shared from God.

Morris worked at the hospital laboratory as a courier in which he would take medications, deliver and pick up specimens from many institutions in the area, take call at night for almost every department within the hospital and sometimes get called out for products that patients needed and then take them to the required areas of the county.  Morris would also serve as the hospital oncology department’s personal courier when patients that needed treatment could not drive themselves to our facility.  What a great opportunity to get to serve the community and I guarantee that Morris loved being around and helping out those people.  Not many people knew what Morris’s job was exactly but for those who knew what his job entailed, we shall sorely miss him.

I noticed that even in these occasions he always displayed nothing but a kind, gentle and passionate man for life, food, fun and love for everyone around him.  The Oncology receptionist has a black scheduling book that she keeps on her desk.  All of the oncology and Pharmacy staff look through this book a couple of times each day for any changes that may arise.  I remember that on certain occasions she would write up at the top left hand corner “No Morris”.  This meant that Morris was either working for the main hospital or he and his family were out playing together somewhere.  Either way, Morris was not going to be around for that day or week.  I had no idea that when I looked at that phrase that it would soon one day mean that Morris was never going to return to us, even though he was looking forward to finally retiring and moving down closer to his kids.  Morris was always thankful for work and enjoyed being useful in every situation that presented itself and in this capacity as well; Morris we will miss seeing your smile when you walk through that door, so much so that I will even miss seeing “No Morris” in our scheduling book.

Morris was diagnosed with a dreaded disease and God did not wish for him to suffer long.  I have said many times that I despise death but I cannot argue about the walks that Morris now takes.  Morris lived a great life and was a faithful servant to God’s Kingdom to which he now understands more than you and I can ever physically know.  We have physically lost Morris from this earth but we shall never forget what Morris meant to our lives.  We shall miss you Morris and look forward to seeing you once again some fine day.  I speak blessings upon the entire family of Morris Ohlin and nothing but Godspeed to your legacy.

The very next day our family received news that one of our close neighbors had passed away.  Our neighborhood is filled with some awesome families and Paul Hunter and his wife Nancy are one of these families.  Receiving news of one death is tough but to receive the news of another close friend a day later puts life into perspective.  Mr. Hunter falls into the same category s Morris in that he and his wife were not long time friends but for close to a decade now they have been a calming presence within our street.

My two youngest daughters dubbed Mr. Hunter as “Mr. Paul” and when they had an opportunity they would run over and spend a little time with him.  He did not give them much with the exception of some great words of wisdom that they will keep in their hearts until they go home to heaven and what a treasure they have whether they realize this yet or not.  I must admit that the girls spent more time with the Hunters than I did and they will probably “miss” him more than some of us will, but all of us will miss his presence on our block and I shall miss him walking the halls of our hospital as well.

Mr. Paul was a volunteer at our hospital and his wife Nancy still volunteers as well.  It is a comfort to know that people such as the Hunter’s love the community enough that they willingly volunteer their time in order to help out in any way possible.  I guess Mr. Paul understood the concept of volunteering quite well for he served in our military and eventually retired from this great service after decades of service to our country.  Paul Hunter loved his country and each morning as he opened his garage door the first thing that he would do would be to mount the American flag on the side of his house and proudly displayed Old glory for whom he so gallantly served.

I know that Paul’s family will miss him tremendously and so will my family and our community.  I did not get to attend his memorial service but I understand that there was a tremendous turnout and that every volunteer from the hospital that could attend was dressed in their appropriate volunteer uniforms.  What an excellent tribute to a well deserving gentleman.  No one ever likes to attend a funeral but I have taught my girls that they are necessary to show respect and dignity to loved ones who we had the privilege of knowing.  Paul will be greatly missed, especially around the 4^th of July when fireworks are the call of the day.

Two great warriors laid to rest in consecutive days.  Both fought in separate wars but both fought with a common and loving heart.  Both will be physically missed by many but are now wrapped in loving arms that we do not completely understand.  I look forward in seeing both of these gentlemen some day but for now I know that I when I look at our hospital courier car driving around I will still wish to see Morris behind the wheel.  And I know that I will continually look for Paul’s red truck to be slowly driving down our street.  Both men physically silenced yet both men still ring loud and clear within our hearts.  I stand up and proudly salute you Paul Morris and may both your legacies remain within our hearts for generations to come.

DLB

I Believe You But....

I Believe You But….

3/22/14

This is a phrase that many of us have heard over the years of our life.  Surprisingly this phrase is a popular one that is used from those within the religious circles that are spread across our globe and direct these words to those who are actually true examples of what the gospel has done within those who have not grown up in church.  I am amazed at how we the Church can honestly believe this phrase even exists and furthermore use it against those who have benefited from the true transformation from worldly standards.  This attitude towards those who are actively obeying the command of Jesus but who have not sat in pews should not be condemned but exalted as examples of what the gospel does for lives.  Remember what Jesus did in the Temple courtyard?  Maybe we should take a closer look at this inner sanctum philosophy that we have embraced and change some of our thinking methods.

Over the past few years I have heard of increasing amounts of stories that deal with this phrase and how it is being subjected onto those that some believe are not deemed worthy enough to proclaim truths concerning the gospel of God’s Word.  It utterly disturbs me that we Christians that have sat in pews all of our lives have the gall to proclaim that someone who is telling the truth through the Bible cannot be trusted because of what they have been through at some point in their lives.  On the other hand, this ideology does not surprise me by any means since this type of behavior was directly addressed by Jesus in a very unique manner and really should be driven home to our hearts as a lesson in religion that God absolutely rejects.

The other day I was listening to one of the Christian radio stations and one of the DJs that works there was telling about some of her past and how she had encountered many people who have wrongly rejected her ministry on the airwaves because of what she had done in her past.  At that time I really did not think too much more about the subject but kept the thought in my head because I completely understood what she was saying and how hurt she was because other Christians would not believe her words due to this past fact.  Today (3/22/14) I was listening to the same radio personality and she once again addressed this concern but this time she used another person’s testimony, from that person’s blog, about how people did not so much disagree with the words that God had given her but because of what she had chosen to do in her past, condemned her from those people believing what she was pointing out to them.

Now, I do not know if her words were spoken at a Bible study, small group, youth group, Wednesday night service or any other type of church setting.  However, I do know that if a person has received God into their lives it does not matter what that person has done because God can use anyone at any given time to advance His Kingdom.  For a while my father was involved in the local prison ministry and he made a profound statement that some people did not enjoy listening to.  He stated that some of those men who were in jail and that had turned their lives over to Christ were actually more free than those who had the luxury of attending church services every Sunday.  WHY would he say something like this?  It is because those men understood what it meant to be captive to their pasts and then to have everything erased with one true choice of salvation, thus their spiritual freedom from what had lured them into the criminal mannerism that brought them to that specific point in their lives.  And if the truth be told while dad was talking to some of these men he found out that a fair amount of them actually had some kind of church background and were not total strangers from the message of God.

As we read in Scripture, it says many times that Jesus was out among the people.  He had no fear of being with the prostitutes, tax collectors, drunkards and many other social and civil settings.  We also read about and get the feeling that His disciples were somewhat annoyed with this fact and contemplated on why Jesus would actually “hang around” this type of crowd.  It fascinates me that while the disciples were arguing amongst themselves about who was the greatest and at the same time wondering why Jesus chose to share His message with these people, that these concepts totally blinded them to the fact that Jesus had chosen the same type of “scum, losers, lowlifes, thieves of life” that He was ministering to on a daily basis.  If we take a closer and deep look at this setting we will find that the entire Church is acting EXACTLY as the disciples did and have voluntarily blinded our spiritual site due to our fallacies.  When a person who has been lucky enough to sit in a church building for the majority of their lives says that one who has come from the street and now has a message from God, that they are not worthy, then pick a disciple out and rename yourself because you are committing the same atrocity by doubting what God can do through a human being.

Did you ever hear of Jesus yelling at those who He was sharing His message with, or limiting them with what, when and where they could share His message to others?  Even when He was dying on a tree His love still poured out on one of the thieves that were beside Him that day.  So, if Jesus was willing to take the time to share His message with a thief in his final moments of life on earth, what gives us the authority to tell someone who comes from the world that they are not “good enough” to share this eternal message to others?

I pose to you another situation and setting that I have witnessed many times throughout my life.  It is a common theme and one who has walked around on this earth will recognize its theme as soon as I begin these words.  I am going to look at preacher’s kids for a moment.  I cannot tell you how many times people have come up to me and asked me why did I stay with God all of these years after being forced to attend church and did I ever resent the fact that my parents were ministers?  There are so many angles to these two questions and there are just as many answers that I can give in return, but the answer that I will use in this article goes along with the area of this topic that even though I was raised in church that does not mean that I always followed the ways of God.  Big shock????  If you are honest, you will answer that question with a solid “no”.

For quite some time I did not want to have anything to do with God, nor anything that He had for my life.  Did I ruin your beliefs about me with that last statement?  If so, then ok.  I am ok with that because what I have to say to you, the Church, and to a dying world comes from my Heavenly Father and these words are directed specifically towards you since you have fallen within the same category that Jesus ranted and raged against while He was on this earth.  God has no condemnation for those who wish to have a relationship with Him and He will guide their hearts in such a holy manner that not only will be specific for that person but will also create and establish some sort of ministry within these people so that they can portray their spiritual change in someone else.  If you would have asked me a few years ago if I would be writing articles about God and His wishes for His people, I probably laughed in your face, because I hated to write.  Ask any one of my friends in junior high, high school and college; they would write me but I never wrote them back, because I did not like to write but today I write all the time.  God changes people who desire to be changed for the better, His way of being better.

Preacher’s kids are notorious for having bad reputations in the communities, towns, and cities that their parents pastor within.  Yet when a failed preacher’s kid, deacon’s kid, altar boy, or any other person who returns to the “fold” they are received with open arms and can basically do what they wish after the initial truth period wears off.  Their promiscuous acts are quickly forgiven and after a certain amount of “rehabilitation” they can go back to their Christian statuses like nothing ever happened.  And WHAT a testimony that they have to share with others; these types of testimonies have started fiery revivals yet those who have been snatched from the gates of hell and have never before been established within the church community are doubted.  How much more of a pious, biased double standard can one have?  No wonder Jesus used the word vipers when He was addressing some of the religious personalities of His day and age.

Stop and think about what you are saying to God when you chose not to fully believe a person who He has changed through the gospel of Christ.  By initiating this philosophy, a person is telling God that since I have been raised in church, my knowledge and trust in God is far greater than what the person who has not been sitting right next to me for these many years can have.  In truth and if that is a truth then one must have to throw out the majority of the New Testament since it was written by a person who was not a Christian for all of his life.  In fact that person actually was guilty of murdering the very same people that he eventually preached to in many cities.  Should we throw out the majority of what Paul wrote because of his pagan ways and hatred for the Christians?  If we truly believe this notion then we must seriously take a step back and look at what we are living because we are living a lie.

Ever wonder why Jesus went out to the public instead of taking His message to the so called church goers of His time?  Jesus understood that the religious spirits would jump all over His ministry and basically rise up against Him and what He was ordained to do; if you do not believe me then read for yourself and find out who brought the death charges against Jesus.  Jesus knew that His message was to a dying world and that if He went into this world and preached God’s Kingdom then it would be those people that one day might accomplish the mission that He began.  Jesus did not have a social club; He had a Kingdom club and had a divine message of truth for those that He knew would have open hearts and the will to listen.

I ask you again, why do we condemn or not believe those who have been in the world and are now a part of the Kingdom?  Who better than to teach those who have been sitting in the pews, and doing nothing, of how the world operates and to rid ourselves of these notions and practices?  Who better to draw out the attention of those worldly gestures that we have allowed into our church buildings?  Who better than to wake us up and to shake our hearts enough that we take our blinders off and see what is occurring around us?  We should not be condemning or ignoring these words for they are wise through the spirit of God.  For if they are true words from God then they shall line up with His Word and will not falter when tested.  I cannot state that every person who says they hear from God actually does but the fruits that they speak shall tell those who are listening, the truth. 

If we do not have the discernment to recognize when God is speaking to our hearts then we as the Church are sunk.  And at this point we need Jesus to come into our inner courtyards, our hearts, and to overturn our tables and to ask us in a holy anger why we have allowed His Church to become lovers of the world instead of loving her groom’s calling.  Have you ever wondered why Jesus went into the tabernacle and overturned those tables and not out in society?  Think about it, why would He do the opposite?  The tabernacle was always pretty and shiny to the eyes, yet some of the vilest and wickedest deeds were accomplished inside those walls, all the while God’s message was being delivered.  Why would Jesus spend His time with those clowns and goofs who did not really believe in what God stood for in the first place?  Yep….I just compared the Church to those hypocrites in the religious orders during Jesus’ time because it is the truth and we need to recognize this and change our ways so that we may once again become the Church and Bride that He is coming back for one day.

As all of you know, one day we will all draw our last breath.  Our physical fate is already sealed and there is nothing that we can change concerning this set time.  Human science has offered us, I included, many opportunities to prolong this last breath setting and I for one am extremely ecstatic about this, but we all must realize something about our lives that I know I forget about every day.  When God created us He did so in such a fashion that our lives would live forever.  We functioned at the perfect capacity and represented nothing but life.  When humans chose to go our own way we allowed a sin to enter into our existence that produced a finality called physical death.  Death is an abomination to God and since He cannot die He therefore cannot create anything that can die either, which means that our physical lives are an abomination to Him.

I am not saying that our life is an abomination but because we die, that truth of life that is being robbed which is the abomination to Him.  It is the death of one cell that annoys God the most for that cell goes totally against what God created for us.  We must remember that every human does through this cell dying process and therefore have an obligation to ensure that God’s message of love, salvation, restoration and eternal life reaches even the furthest person on this planet that there is a way out of this mess.  How much Kingdom advancement potential in those who have come to Christ from outside church walls have we allowed to wane away because of our denial of their true repentance, salvation and restoration due to their background?  It is horrific a thought to contemplate, knowing that we have rejected what God is telling us through those who the gospel has reached.  How much spiritual death could we have avoided if we would have listened to these people and what course of action are we heading in because of our lack of understanding about religion versus relationship with God?

God wants a relationship with you, not a religious belief.  God does not care about your denominational background nor does He care if you have been a crack cocaine dealer.  What He cares about is that you and He have a personal relationship with each other and it does not matter who tells them about this fact, He just want it told about.  But first the Church needs to get off their pews and follow the action verb that Jesus commanded us to do so that these people will know what true life means.  Stop denominationalizing God and stop rationalizing His ways for Him, just do what He wants us to do and allow God to minister into others lives.  Repent and allow God to restore us to that personal relationship once again and a true change shall come to your heart.  God will choose those that are listening to His voice to spread the gospel, no matter who that person may be and if you miss His words because of a technical hang up, then who really is at fault in this situation?

DLB