After the "T" Has Been Decided

After the “T” Has Been Decided

10/23/18

It is not uncommon that people ignore warning signs and have to face certain consequences of their ignorance sometime in their future.  It is also understood that hindsight is extraordinarily clear when it comes to such decisions, but the main questions afterward are how much is left of our lives and what can be salvaged if anything.  We take for granted the issue of choices and have rallied to the point where only a certain path is acceptable in the name of choices, a condition that has grave consequences not only for the individual but for a nation as well.  God still wants us to choose Him and His Ways for it this path that is the only one that can lead to peace, happiness, and restoration.  God calls us to repentance and it is His desire not for us to be witnesses to certain devastation both physically and spiritually.  We can avoid such calamity if we only return to God and act like we trust only Him and not the world.

There comes a time in every person’s life when the manifestations of their choices come to fruition and present themselves in a very specific manner.  When this time arrives, it becomes very visible to others through the words and actions that the demonstrating people conduct.  For the most part, their actions speak volumes for what they have accepted as the truth, so much so that they become advocates of such decisions and stick by those choices whenever challenged.  What the concerning issue is that when the world is chosen it gives the ones who have chosen this way of life a distinct advantage and for those who reject such teachings must understand how to spiritually combat such dealings for the division between the two eternal kingdoms is being displayed and will continue the fight for one’s eternal possession.  A worldly choice and the one, who accepts it cannot live with those who choose God and His Kingdom, look around you today and this type of setting is very apparent.  Sadly, unless we effectively witness to these beautiful people and through the power of God they change their lives, our world shall continue to sink in its own muck and mire and drag those who truly believe in God and wish to advance His Kingdom down with it.

It has always amazed me that many people who work in the medical profession practice terrible health habits while congruently providing tests on other people who face horrific possibilities of having serious issues in the near future.  One of the most intriguing settings concerning this is the respiratory techs who smoke.  Over the decades that I have worked in this profession, I have noticed that many of these techs smoke and have smoked for a very long time.  One would think that it would be this section of the medical profession that would be the staunchest advocates of clean breathing with absolutely no mention of smoking in their lives.  But as time has passed, I have not witnessed any type of decline in the percentages of respiratory techs that smoke only a head-shaking increase in that number.  Why would anyone who has watched people suffocate at a later portion of their life or witnessed them drown in their own bodily fluids all due to the history of smoking?  Yet, many hospital personnel do choose to smoke and do so with no conviction at all.  I am not just picking on this department, for many hospital personnel practice this nasty habit and fall into the same category as their patients.  Smoking is not the only ill practice of self-indulgence that will lead to major problems in people’s lives either.  There are countless other factors that we voluntarily bring into our lives that darken our physical hearts enough to warrant such activities, a process that is a direct reflection of how our spiritual lives are being led as well.

I must include myself in this category because for a long period of time in my life I knew that my genetic makeup was not of good stock and that I needed to keep in shape in order to maintain a healthy heart.  I studied these disease processes for decades even when I was a young boy growing up my nose was always in some type of medical textbook.  So, when the time came for my heart to say enough and to tell me that something was wrong, I knew that it was all my personal fault but still considered myself, on a certain level, exempt of such healthy teachings even though I was given another chance to change my life before it was over.  Over the next fifteen years my heart continued its genetic charge towards clogging up and this early fall it came to a head when I found myself in a hospital with a nice little scar on my chest with tubes running out of my body.  Yes, I had made the choice to change my eating and exercise patterns and to be honest did a fairly decent job, but it was the initial damage so long ago that sealed my fate a few weeks ago.  I knew what was eventually coming to my life but I was not completely dedicated to completely follow through with the changes that needed to be made.  It was these relaxed choices of mine that produced the consequences which now keeps me from the work that I so adamantly love.

Every time I read the passage that God wants us to hear again I cannot help but to think just how parallel our nation is compared to the people of the passage and I also cannot help but to read further and to see the consequences of such tragic choices that Israel made because when you put the two nation’s hearts next to each other, one cannot deny the fact that both look identical.  We will return to 1 Samuel 8 and once again take a deeper look at what occurs when choices to accept the world enter our lives and what effects it has on our lives when we make such a choice.  The processing of knowing both sides of the kingdom realm does not make things any easier; in fact, it makes all issues increasingly difficult to walk through because we will continually have a spiritual battle inside while we destructively walk through standards that we know we could be avoiding.   

Our official text is 1 Samuel 8:1-7 and we see that the children of Israel have made a fateful choice in who they want to rule over them even though they know their past and who Created them as a nation.  It is this detail of knowledge that might seem a bit frustrating to us and cause us to ask why they would do such an act but when we apply the first few paragraphs of this article to our own lives it becomes clear as to why such decisions were made.  It is of the most important of items for us to remember that the children of Israel were humans, just like us and since this is a fact we can and probably will be subject to the same choice decisions that they faced.  What is frightening about this passage is that we have reached the same position that Israel did and we have made the exact same choice as they did.

In verse 3 we see that the sons of Samuel were made judges over Israel and that they had not followed in the ways of God as Samuel had shown them.  This is not an uncommon pattern when the hearts of a nation have become weary with what they believe God should be doing in their lives and in their nation for they did not understand that while they made this choice officially they had already come to this conclusion privately earlier.  There was no question that the sons of Samuel did not know God and the teachings of His Ways but on the other hand, they chose not to follow such ways and instead took from the people in such a manner in which the world can only teach.  In what ways do we read here that is not different from the way that our government leaders act and draw from today?  When a mediocre salary produces such lavish bank accounts over time that one cannot deny that some type of corruption has been issued during their tenure, and how many deals are struck while laws are being made in order to get fellow colleagues to vote for such outrageous and meaningless legislatures that will advance personal gain instead of national interests?  How many of these so-called godly leaders have achieved their statuses through shady bargaining or through stepping on others and using others to achieve this level of leadership?  More importantly, why are we as a nation falling for such ridiculous ideas we pursue as being hidden yet are blinded by the light of what direction we are heading, and why are we not asking God for help to correct such heart rendering decisions?

In verse 4 we find that the elders of Israel came together and made a consensus decision to go and talk to Samuel about such wicked dealings that his sons were handing down including direct perversions of judgments that everyone had to deal with and could not ignore.  Notice that these accusations against the sons of Samuel were not rebuked by the leaders of the people which mean that they themselves knew what was occurring yet did not wish to change judges and keep the ways of God this type of action can only come from the heart folks.  This meeting of elders gives us the consensus of how the people felt and how they were fed up with the leadership that was placed before them but instead of changing leaders and ensuring that God continues to rule their lives they take a different path and it is this path that they took that is evident in our society today.  As we see our nation’s congressional, business, entertainment, and countless other leaders fall for scandalous accusation and call out everyone else but themselves, one cannot help but worry for the status of this nation especially since we continually look at humans for encouragement and guidance.  We have become so obsessed with becoming like other nations that we fail to see that we are living out this passage of Scripture, and most troubling is that our nation shall walk in the same results as she did.  Are we really that stupid and dumb to believe that “our” way is any different than Israel’s?

It is this setting and words from the elders in verse 5 that verbally admit what was already in their hearts as a nation.  Now, I cannot believe that every single person within the nation of Israel wanted this choice to be their ruling but the majority of the people, due to the agreement of the elders, was in order to separate themselves from their Creator and join the world’s gathering.  So, one can ask these questions: where was God in their lives and how come they had fallen so far away that they no longer wanted to have anything to do with God?  To some it may be a baffling set of questions but to others they may be ones that are easily identified and answered but for whatever the detailed history of such unruly behavior and corruption that had been presented it was present long enough by those who were supposed to be led of God that the majority of the people did not want anything to do with God.  They had been blinded enough with their hearts that they could no longer know and feel the need for God in their lives, in other words, they rose above the truth about their Creation and establishment by God enough that they fully denied His existence in their lives.  It was this choice and change within their hearts that eventually led to the reasoning that they should look toward other nations for their improvements rather than God.

When I was a younger lad, I found it funny that people would place so much trust in a system instead of God but as I grew in age that “funniness” waned and I understood why people chose this path of self-governance for a good portion of me accepted such reliance.  Israel wanted this self-reliance as well for their eyes had been witness of the differences that other nations had and it must have been frustrating to not be able to participate in the same activities as they, for I know that some of the choices that my wife and I made for our girls went contrary to what the world preached and I know at some point they had to wonder why we were different.  The people that defined Israel wanted to control what they did or did not do and through this self-nation building conceptual belief they grew in separation from God until their identity was stolen from them right before their eyes.

Verse 6 tells us that Samuel was very upset with what Israel had decided to ask for and since the elders were the ones that brought this proposal to Samuel it had already been decided by the people to leave the confines of God and His Creative Covenant.  Now, Samuel took this proclamation personally and was very displeased with what his ears had heard.  Samuel prayed to God for guidance and to basically tell on the children of Israel a typical reaction when something goes wrong and the human takes the next step.  It is interesting to me that Samuel did not address the fact that his sons were part of the reason that Israel was not happy with God and that it was their actions that played a major role in the tribes wishing for secular peace instead of eternal protection from God.

Verse 7 gives us the condition of Israel’s heart and just how far down the road they had gone from God.  God tells Samuel that it is not because of the actions or Samuel that Israel had turned but because their hearts had turned from Him.  This is a process and a desire that people must choose to take and not one that comes overnight.  When eyes and hearts are focused on the human aspect of life alone they cannot understand the difference between righteousness and sin for sin becomes the norm and God is looked upon as the outsider.  Verses 6-8 reiterate the fact that Israel had no intentions of replacing the corrupted officials and keep their ways with God, but that they wanted to go their own way and do their own way instead.  In other words, they had accepted the fact that what the judges were doing was wrong but at the same time accepted the fact that they could follow in their footsteps and grab a piece of the pie as well which could prove to be more lucrative than what their present situation was.  Does this way of thinking sound familiar to anyone?  It should for it is exactly what this nation, western societies, and the Church all believe and function within today.

The lingering question was if Israel understood what their actions were doing to them and if they knew that they were legally violating the eternal Covenant that God established their nation under.  Had they grown so far away from God that they flat refused to recognize their history and the reason why they were created in the first place?  It seems like this is the case for God speaks directly about this setting in verse 8 when He makes the statement that they have rejected Him and not Samuel.  God did not forget the origins of His Covenant and still stayed in faithfulness to Israel even after this passage took hold in their land.  This is also a pattern of God that we need to remember that He shall never violate His Covenant for Covenant is His definition; therefore, it is us that can only violate this Covenant setting which legally places us in a very dangerous breach of Covenant and thus subject to countless attacks from the enemy.  Israel had made up their minds about the direction they wanted to live and to whom they wanted to serve and even though God did not like this decision of theirs He allowed it which is another detail about Covenant that we need to remember, God shall allow us to leave but if we do He cannot protect us as if we were under Covenant.  The heart of Israel had become so darkened that it had infiltrated the interior layers of their spirit enough that they willingly chose the world as a solution to their anger, spiritual torture, and pain.

While this passage is one of human’s own admission it is one that proclaims what the heart sees as just and truth.  In this case and many like it, the heart has made the decision that it can survive quite nicely without its Creator’s guidance or any influence from Him on any and all levels.  It breaks God’s heart to hear such words flow from our mouths but He allows such words to protrude and thus commend our actions to our own will.  Even though God allows us to go at things on our own it does not mean that He gives up on us returning to Him.  God understands what shall occur to our lives when we make such a worldly acceptance for just as God cannot change the world cannot change either and when we choose the world we accept what it has to offer us with open arms and doors.  This is not the Covenant that God wants us to live under for when we do He cannot protect us according to His Definition and since we are born into this world and born into sin it is an eternal fight for us every day.  How can we not compare ourselves today with the attitude in which Israel demonstrated to God in this passage?  It is impossible for one to draw any other conclusion that by our own admissions we are following in the exact same path as Israel did so long ago, another example of how we as humans fail to recognize our own history.

I can imagine some of you do not want to believe in this article’s content, and there are a few out there that may not even understand that the direction that this nation is heading in a bad direction.  I must ask you to examine this passage closely and to think about the words and actions that are presented here and then compare these words and actions in this passage to the words and actions that we hear on a daily basis today.  Are they different at all?  The only difference is that many more people see what is transpiring in our nation because there are many more of us than those that lived in Israel so long ago.  Both sets of hearts have changed and are making their contents known without holding back, see when the heart has changed its course or has accepted a directional path it becomes compliant with that direction’s beliefs then you throw the spiritual additions into play and you have an eternal battle that spills over into both realms and is characteristically demonstrated without any hindrance to the darkening process of our hearts.

When we accept the world we cannot help but to further darken our hearts which means that when this color begins to grow it has only one direction to flow and that is around to the surrounding tissues.  The other day I watched a mob surround a supporter of President Trump.  They backed her up against a glass door and began to hit her with eggs and other debris it became so bad that the owners of the store opened the door of their store and pulled her inside.  As if this was not bad enough, as the scenario unfolded one could see about ten people filming the altercation on their phones and the evil looks (grins) that they had on their faces while doing the filming was strictly out of a horror film.  They were enjoying what they were doing and what they were seeing transpire to someone that had different opinions than they did.  It is this type of action that we need to understand comes straight from Satan himself for it is exactly how he feels about God and you.  Let that statement sink into your head real deep for it is this process in which Satan uses in order to gain control of those who accept the world.

Even worse, Satan has convinced the Church to operate in the exact same manner and thus has had a great deal of influx into the downfall of the Church.  Through this obvious fallout, one cannot deny that she is only being rewarded with what she has allowed into her heart.  The Church is supposed to stand opposite of the world and to be representative of God’s holy Covenant to those who wish to escape from the world’s vulgar presence, not to accept that vile vulgarity into the walls of her sacred chambers (heart).  I am not saying that we should stand on the corner of streets and scream at those walking by and shunning them as those who do not know God, but in order for us to bring in those that are lost we must be willing to have conversations with them long enough to build a trust that might open the doors of their hearts to God.  In no way do we have to compromise our godly standards when we are performing this mission of ours for it is necessary for us to stay holy throughout this process for if we do not then we have personally succumbed to the world as well and have defeated what Jesus wants us to complete.

The days of the world shall not become any easier, for the ruler of the world understands that his physical time is running out, and in order for him to keep as many people away from God as possible he must inject further and deeper conflict between humans.  Its bad enough to be at odds with the world but to add the Church into the mess only deepen the wounds that Satan can inflict and then pour worldly salt into.  We can no longer afford to take worldly responsibility for our actions but we must take on the full armor of God in order to shed the world and to fight it on all sides.  God is searching our hearts for a way for Him to get it through our heads and then into our hearts that this is serious business, an eternal business that shall end ugly for countless amounts of people if they do not turn and return to God.  This includes the Church for she has fallen asleep to God and has allowed the world to sit right next to her and distract her as the Word of God is taught.  How many of us did not pay attention to what the preacher or Sunday School teacher taught us when we were younger, or do we still do that today as well?

We have no clearer example of what occurs to a nation when they reject God and turn to the world than the passage that God has once again given us to understand.  When the hearts of people totally lose faith in God and place that faith in the world, that brand of equality is a deadly sort because we are doomed to die and the world cannot offer anything but death because it is from the same lot.  So, why do we choose the world again?  It is time for repentance Church.  It is time that we place our hearts back into the Word of God and allow God to cover our hearts with His eternal Covenant and to give Jesus’ blood an opportunity to stop our darkened hearts from corrupting the remainder of our spirits and our bodies. 

Why do we have to face adversity for us to become “reacquainted” with God?  And do we not understand that when we live in this type of belief in God that it means we have no clue about who He is or what He has done for us all of these years?  Why do we look at the breach that is over us and pick up rocks to see if we can throw them through the breach or worse look up at this breach and consider it a part of the normal sky?  A few years ago God showed us and gave us an article that stated that we were approaching the “T” and that a decision had to be made and that decision would affect our nation from then onward.  Israel faced that “T” and they made their choice and passed that “T” with their decision and from what I can tell, this nation along with its relational Church status with God has also made that choice and has moved onward without God as well.

The blessings of Israel were countless when God created her and His promises concerning His blessings on those who blessed her and vice versa concerning the cursing against her all added up to God’s perfect plan for His chosen nation.  There has been only one nation that ever existed since that early biblical nation of Israel that has been utterly blessed in such manner, and that nation is the United States of America.  There is no question that the way this country was founded that it was founded on the principles that God desired for true freedom, especially in worship to Him.  Yes, we have stepped in it many times over our history but up until a short time ago we have kept and dressed the commands of God in this nation.  But now we have short-sided God and His ways and wish nothing further to do with Him so in turn, we have the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in our mouths and are turning to give it to others.  This path can only lead to one result and that is the same result as any other example we can find in God’s Word.  But as of this moment, we have the opportunity to repent and to turn back to God and allow Him to cover our hearts with His Son’s blood before it is too late.  God urges us to come back to Him for times are going to become tough real soon and this nation shall endure some major notices that will sting tremendously and if our hearts are not under the blood Covenant of God we shall turn against each other during this calamity and will never be able to recover.

DLB

My Hiding Place

My Hiding Place

10/17/18

We all have our hiding places where we go to feel secure and safe when things around us are crumbling.  These hiding places come in a variety of methods, ways, and areas and they all serve their purpose at that moment but what do we gain from these momentary sanctuaries and do the results fit us accordingly and for a long-term period of time?  Have you ever wondered why one has to leave the area in which one faces adversities in order to find this type of secure setting?  Maybe we should take another look at what a true hiding place is and how we should view its presence.  God is often referred to as the best hiding place and while this is a true and glorious statement the question must be raised if we really understand what His presence means and exactly where this hiding place is located.  If God can proceed in only one direction, why is it we believe we must run back to Him in order for us to find His hiding place?

Some of you know that my earthly hero is General George S Patton.  I have admired him for decades now and I love to read about his actions, motivations, and sayings.  As most of you know not all of his career moves were the best and in some instances just down and out stupid, but all of them served a purpose and through his actions and leadership on the battlefield helped the truth be liberated and then spread to millions of people not only in Europe but around the entire globe as well.  One of the sayings of his that has stuck with me is one that not many people have heard but it is a very important and one that should remain in our hearts when we are learning about God and the characteristics of God.  The saying is this: “I do not like to pay for real estate twice” which means that once General Patton went through an area he did not like to retreat and have to fight for it again, for any reason.  It is this concept that we need to understand about God and how His holy hiding place exists and also how God operates in only one direction.

Some of you might remember me talking about my father and I’s trip to Haiti way back in the mid-1980s.  It was a time in which God showed me so much about life and how the blessings of God have been poured out on our nation and how things could be if our hearts would not have been submissive to Him so long ago when we were establishing this nation’s foundations.  I remember that there were areas of this island nation that when traveling through were simply magnificent to look at for the structures and landscape was gorgeous and when one would go up into the mountains and look below the ocean and bay was simply divine.  But for the majority of the country, the living standards were defined as a mire and muck shanty living country and as my eyes gazed across this territory my heart understood what it meant to live in complete poverty on all levels of human existence.  I had never known hunger or filth before and I pray that as my mind wanders back to that setting that we never turn so far away from God that His hand strikes us into this position.

There were places that we went that when we arrived in the area we would have to roll up the windows of the vehicle because of the stench and filth that was in the area.  You could actually see the dirt and mire that the area harbored for it loomed as a brown cloud that covered the blue sky above and it was this type of living that these people called home and thought nothing about because of the setting in which they knew as life.  My mind and heart were broken on that trip and I have never looked at food the same ever since.  When a single box of shoes can cause a massive turnout of approximately 10,000 people within a matter of a few minutes, one’s sense of security becomes in question especially as you turn your head to look behind you and all you see is a small beach and a bunch of water.  When a couple of men take off their belts and start swinging them in the air striking people around you to fend them off so that they do not crush you, sends chills of insecurity and fear through even the “toughest” seventeen-year-olds body.  Where do you go, where could one hide are some of the questions that ran through not only my mind but to those that were with us as well.

After that day, I did not leave the confines of the hotel very much.  When I returned from that fateful trip to the Cite Soliel my heart did not have the courage to venture out too far away to what I considered to be the safe place or hiding place.  I was supposed to be taking photographs of dad when he preached to the small churches in the city, write small blurbs about his sermons and messages for each stop but I was stuck in the hiding place that I ran back to and stayed there and did absolutely nothing that was planned for me.  Dad was not mad at all and understood my fears for in the past on previous trips he had experienced the same type of emotions when times changed from peace into war in just minutes.  The only difference was that he never froze and ran back for cover he always led his group and took them to the places where they were scheduled as long as it was safe to do so.  It is this type of hiding place that God wants to share with us and how His hiding place does not retreat or sit back and watch as things in the world develop and fall around us, what I did was childish and not what God authorized for me to do, in fact, what my actions promoted is a defeated Christian who is too chicken to inquire about the world and its need for Christ.

A while back God shared with us an article called “Home Field Advantage” and it was for a reason, for it explains just how our lives are affected by this truth and how we should respond when troubles are around us.  Satan has the home field advantage for the world is his kingdom and he rules it accordingly.  We all know that even though when games are played at an opponent’s home field or court the number of players do not change, the rules do not change but the atmosphere around the field or court makes it difficult for the visiting team to overcome.  The same thing occurs when we are going about our daily activities while on this earth, for Satan sees our purpose and the potential that our purpose presents to his defeated kingdom.  Satan does not want us to have any contact at all with those who he has convinced to stay with him but at the same time must adhere to his own chaotic environment for everyone to “enjoy”.  It is this environment that you and I are not exempt from and must face every day.  It is this environment that God says He is our hiding place as well, so why do we continue to try and skirt the truth about our living conditions while claiming to be in God’s hiding place at the same time?

One of my all time favorite songs is called “My Hiding Place” by Selah.  I cannot count how many times that this song has ministered to my heart when I needed it and it is a song that proclaims so much truth about God and His provisions to His people.  The words are very simple and they come from Psalms 32 and they represent a characteristic of God that many do not understand that He offers or misunderstand the truth about this covering in general.  If you have never heard of this song before I encourage you to listen to it and allow God to show you just how much He loves you and that He is always around you no matter what occurs in your life.  This passage as one might expect will serve as one of our Scripture passages for this article and the other passage will be Exodus 13:21-22.  I have read both of these passages before and have never connected them as being the same thing, but when God shows us something about His Word it brings it into a new light and then establishes life in our hearts which is exactly what God wants to do for it is He who is the author of such a great and eternal work and it is our responsibility to understand as much of the Bible as we can for when we do we also understand God and the wisdom that He brings.

How many know that both of these passages that we will be using are Covenant passages?  How many of you know that if these passages are Covenant verses then they must be characteristics of God?  We will start out with the passage in Exodus 13:21-22, and we find out that the children of Israel are ready at the edge of the wilderness.  The escape and procession out of Egypt were still fresh in their minds and they were well on their way to the Promised Land that God had given to them.  Now in this passage, we find that God is with them in the form of a pillar of clouds during the day and a pillar of fire at night.  Those of you who have spent any time in the desert know that during the day it becomes very hot this is a known thing but some may not know that when the sun goes down that same desert becomes cold even though the thermometer does not say as much which means that in this aspect God was with them on one level of protection.  While this may be just one level of God’s presence with them He was in fact just that, WITH them.  That cloud and that fire provided such information to them about God and His concern for their safety that it must have been a great comfort to them to see such phenomena each day and night.  How could anyone doubt the presence of God during this hike or so one would ask oneself. 

Verse 22 states that God did not take away these pillars of protection and that they were with the children of Israel as they walked through the wilderness.  It is easy for us to imagine seeing a large number of people walking through a long and hot desert for a short amount of time but this trek lasted for forty years and many of the older ones who started the journey did not live long enough to see the Promised Land due to the fact that the ones who looked up and saw these miracles above and before them could not see the sin that they continued to harbor within their lives concerning Egypt.  But the important detail here is that as they were walking in the wilderness, their everyday life at that time, God was with them which meant that His pillars were their covering of protection, their hiding place.  Their hiding place was not behind them or to the side of them, it was with them even though their present setting was a dry and ugly place.  I also find it amusing that many wanted to run back to Egypt to live in captivity again, which means they were willing to leave the presence of God in order to live in “comfortable slavery” again.

As we continue onward to the net passage we must keep in mind that once God does something and shows us a direction of His He cannot change this direction or in this case His protection, so remember this as we read the next passage of Psalms 32:7.  This verse states as follows: “Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.”  This verse alone gives us two pictures one concerning what the world provides and the other what God provides, which makes this verse a Covenant verse for we know that when God shows us something about Himself it automatically deals with Covenant.  God’s Word states that we will be around trouble at all times, why is this?  It is because all that the world can offer is trouble and adverse conditions, nothing good from the world can be ascertained for the world and its ruler represents nothing about life.

When trouble is around us it is a normal reaction to becoming nervous or scared for the calm settings that we like to fit into is gone at that moment and it is also natural for us to look for a way around this ugliness as well.  But as we all know there are times that we are successful in avoiding such disasters but other times we are stuck in the middle of the soup and must face what is going on around us.  It is this time that God says He is our hiding place and that no matter what occurs He will be with us until the end of that situation.  The outcome may not always be favorable but nevertheless, it is one that God has approved of and one that we can take restitution in.  One of the definitions of the word “compass” is to go around in a circular course and it is this meaning that David uses in describing how God is around us when trouble abounds.  God does not flee the scene and expect us to follow Him in a cowardly manner, but God surrounds us in the time of trouble and expects us to take comfort in His presence with a peaceful and joyous heart as the trouble takes its course.  It is the trouble that flees and goes away not God, which means that we do not need to flee either.

At the end of Psalms 32:7 David uses a word that has special meaning or should have special meaning to us, it is the word Selah.  It means to stop and think about what has just been said and to ponder the entire setting before proceeding to the next.  How many times have we read over this passage and kept on going without doing what David suggests we do?  I am guilty of such skipping and moving ahead without taking the time to understand what has just been presented to my heart.  God understands that no matter where we may be trouble will usually be around and that we do not have to automatically flee the area in order to be safe.  Now, God is not saying to just stand around and watch a building fall upon your head without moving we do have common sense you know, but what God is saying is that when we understand that His hiding place is around us He will provide protection in the necessary means which could mean get out of the area as soon as possible.  God’s hiding place is a moveable shelter that is over our lives and this shelter is alive and constantly aware of what is going on around us even before we do.  We do not have to run and find it, it is with us at all times as long as we fully aware of God and have Him in our lives.

It is common knowledge that our hearts like to be challenged for it is the way we learn things and how to deal with issues that we are not comfortable with.  The majority of us walking around the world have to study for tests and even though we know that they are approaching many of us to wait until the last minute to study for these challenges.  We also complain afterward about how poorly we did yet few actually blame themselves for such inadequate habits.  So, what or I should say who is to blame for these life tests when they come around for we all know that many of these issues appear out of nowhere at any time of the day or night and without warning.  Five years ago I had my third stent placed in my heart and released shortly thereafter from the hospital with a warning that the next time they would see me I probably would be having a bypass done on my heart.  On Monday, 24 September 2018 I went to work as usual without any complaints, but within a few hours of my workday, I found myself on a helicopter riding to the nearest medical center for a heart procedure.  The next day I woke up after a triple bypass on my heart and my recovery process began again, this time with a longer recovery time needed.  Was I expecting this or did I foresee this coming as I drove myself to work that day?  No way!  It was a surprise and a life-changing event.

During my flight to the medical center, I felt a peace come over me with a voice that spoke and said that all was going to be okay, it would be a longer recovery but to trust me during this time period.  At the time I did not have this article’s outline written down for God had not given it to me but when He did I remembered those words He spoke to me over the loud rotors of that helicopter which proved to me that my hiding place was with me even though I was facing a troublesome procedure the next day.  My wilderness might have been a short time in comparison to that of the Israelites but the process and God’s protection was just the same, He was there and I did not have to run anywhere to be in His hiding place.  I could have easily been totally lost and have lost my sense of reality, but at no time was I nervous enough with my surroundings to come unhinged and worry about what I was facing.  It would have been my choice to run back and to try to find God and His hiding place for me and if I did such a thing I would have not found Him because I would have been the one that left Him.  What is most concerning to God when we “run away and try to find Him” is that when we do such a thing all we can do is find the world for we cannot recognize that God is already with us.  It is this reason that another Psalm tells us to be still.

Ever see a retreat move in the forward direction?  Uh, the definition of retreat means to go backward or in a backward direction which is where my favorite saying from General Patton comes into play for if one decides to retreat it means that you must pay for that real estate again that you worked hard for previously.  Something to think about here, when you retreat and believe that this move is the only option your beliefs about God serve only as a memory and thus you cannot understand that He is alive and can only operate in one direction.  Either God is alive in your life and you recognize His presence or you do not and since you live in a country where church is an everyday option it means that God is only some kind of memory that your mind thought about at one point in your life.  A memorial (memory) is suggestive that God is dead to you or lives someplace elsewhere except within your heart which if in accordance to this stance would mean that He is not your shield and protector which would mean that when trouble arises you would naturally retreat to a safe place, just as I did in Haiti.

So once again God asks the question if you believe in Him and believe that He is with why would you run back to any place behind you in order to seek refuge in His hiding place?  The lesson here that God wants us to know is that when the Israelites were walking around in the wilderness He was with them at all times.  Also, in Psalms 32 when David states that God is his hiding place he is talking to God which means David understood that God was with him, right then and there not on some far-off mountaintop that is unreachable.  Today, God wants us to know that He is in the exact same place as He was in these two passages of Scripture, WITH US.  There is no need to run anywhere when troubles are around us, in fact, it is when trouble abounds that we need to keep our heads up, our ears listening and our eyes open so that when God does give us directions we know what to do and where to go.  This is a Covenant article and one that we need to become familiar with so we can teach this comfort to others.  By definition, God cannot retreat or take back anything He has set into motion, which means if we run backward then we are running away from Him and thus accepting our fate alone.

Has God ever taken back or withdrawn any of His letters of His definition?  I mean, His definition begin the Bible, the Word of God.  No, He has not and He never shall either and since we are His children do you understand what that means according to this definition?  The Bible that I mainly use for studying was given to me by my father.  It was one of his older Bibles that he used when he preached; I do not know how long he used it but from the writing that is in the margins I would say it was used for many years.  One of these markings that is present that I have come across is located at the top of the page that begins 2 Corinthians and it says this: “We are Christ’s letters to the world”.  Have any of you ever considered this truth about your lives?  We know that we are supposed to be witnesses to the world but letters?  When we look at this saying in the context of the epistles of the New Testament it becomes clear about what my father is saying, the stories of our lives serve as guidelines to others about what to do and what not to do and somehow we need to listen to Paul when he gives us instructions about our conduct.  In this case “Paul” is Christ and it is His words of instruction that we need to adhere to and there is no way possible in doing such work if we are running from issues and trouble.

The epistles of the New Testament show the Church running in countless directions as trouble approaches and it is trouble that they themselves have created due to beliefs in false doctrines and ridiculous practices.  They were about to face real troubles and face the gallows of governmental persecution and those conditions would just be the beginning of what the faithful would have to endure throughout the ages.  How can we face these types of everyday troubles if we do not realize where God is?  It is impossible to understand what to do if we run away from issues just as the world does yet for some reason we ignore our purpose and mission and drop all of our possessions and run away following those in reactive chaos.  Can anyone explain why this is the case?  Why are we running away and performing worldly applications in response to what is going on around us?  Why are we not telling people that the actions that they are conveying actually prove God’s Word correct and that if we continue in such strides that some point soon in time our entire way of life will change for the worse?  The answer to these questions is that we no longer recognize that God is around us because we have adopted the world as our leader and pushed God aside.

In both of these passages that God has given us today exemplify the fact that He is with us at all times.  In Exodus, God went before the people both day and night which means He was with them at all times.  In Psalms 32, David states at the beginning of this verse “Thou art” which means “You are” or “He is” and means that God is around at all times, He is present and not a past tense god that the world promotes.  It is evident that today’s Church does not convey this type of identity with God and it is sad that we have run away so far from what our mission is that we cannot know what that definition I any longer, yet at the same time we look towards the heavens and cry out to nothing for we cannot even see that God is right in front of us.  The reason is that our hearts have become so discolored with sin which comes from our birth inheritance but instead of allowing God to cover this sin properly we have allowed our rotting heart layers to infiltrate the remaining layers of our lives that surround our black hearts.  We have believed the lie that we have no real concern about how our hearts look, Satan gives us this fact but it is how we treat such evil that matters and as long as we continue to hear his voice instead of God’s voice we shall never understand God nor will we know that our help is right in front of our eyes.

How can God be our defense when we do not even recognize His presence around us?  How foolish we are when we run away from God to call upon His name while standing in a so-called safe zone?  Church, we have lost our hearts to this world and we need to turn our lives back over to God, completely.  It is not difficult to figure out that this world is becoming worse on every level as each day passes, so why do we continue to stand with this liar?  We must quickly and 100% repent and once again begin to teach the lost that Jesus Christ is the only way to peace and eternal life.  We must end the lies against life and begin to teach life as the only option for existence.  God is our present and future hiding place and if we take a hard look back at those times in our life when trouble was all around we shall see that God was in the exact same place as He is today, right next to us.  We do not need to run anywhere when trouble arrives, but stand still and allow God to be our hiding place and a place of refuge.  Our hearts need to be covered properly or at some point in time, God shall begin to peel away those layers of His precious Creations in order to make our lives whole again, His way and not ours.

DLB

Unhinged Doctrines

Unhinged Doctrines

10/16/18

In order to understand any presentation, the subject must become clear enough for all who are present know what is being spoken about.  It is easy to become caught up in the excitement of a new or potential gift, but if we are not careful we may be sucked into a scam that could have grave consequences if put into place fully.  There is no question that this type of gospel presentation is present in many denominations today and the same lines are present here as well for if we do not understand the Word of God well enough to know when bad information is being taught, we too can be caught up into a web of lies that could not only lead to our fall but others as well.  God never meant for His Word to be tainted in any way, but because sin is present and we are all subject to its wrath, we must be prepared for the Truth instead of lies at all times.

It has been a while since my family has been without television but I must say that I have not really missed it too much and have been blessed to be able to have spent more time with my wife and girls ever since this change occurred.  One of the more fascinating schemes of television has been the creation and development of the infomercial which promotes and sells anything and everything to anyone who will stay up and watch the contracted program.  Cable came into existence back in the 1980s and ever since that time period infomercials have been on the rise, in fact, there are now entire channels and networks that are strictly dedicated to shopping online, 24/7 without interruption with holiday express shipping available if necessary.  One must ask if this type of activity is healthy enough for our needs or do these opportunities provide us with more excuses to inquire debt.  This type of unhinged doctrine selling can become addictive and dangerous and while it has proven to be a lucrative business opportunity for some the rest have been left out in the cold when the truth rolls around.

With this type of online purchasing, I have heard many horror stories about the products and what occurs when one tries to return the articles bought after satisfaction is not present.  It is very easy to believe that a product that is being presented for purchase is of the correct quality that the advertiser promotes, but because of this aspect of the business, we know that this belief is not always correct.  This type of disappointment can occur with any product and must include the many churches that carry the message to those who do not know Christ.  I have heard so many preachers say that living for Christ is an easy process or that when we accept Christ we can still love the world as we have before, not change one bit and still make it to heaven.  On the other hand, I have heard preachers speak the truth about people’s lives and teach that living for Christ is a total separation from the world and that we should have no part of the world while we are present on its surface.  So, which sermon should people believe and how do they know what to believe when a sermon is presented to them?  It is true that the Gospel of Christ is easy to speak and to live under but the day to day activities of being a Christian is war against the world and should always be perceived as such for Christ calls us out to be different on every level of our existence and to teach such truths to those who need Christ.

All of us harbor contrary works that we have acquired over our lifetime that go against the Word of God that is part of the definition of sin that we are born into.  It is our responsibility to recognize such destructive works and have the correct resources necessary to allow for the riddance of such works in our lives.  In order for this to occur, we must have sound teachings on this issue and thus be prepared to confront them when God deems it is time for them to be extracted from our hearts and lives.  The world will promote such factors as ones that you yourself can take care of and thus have no need for any other authoritative figure to help, it is this aspect of the world that many people believe and in turn, push God out of the way while “believing” that their way is best.  One of the most devastating lies that many believe is that any church denomination that is around is correct in what they teach and should be taken as the gospel by which we live and breathe.  This type of belief actually promotes self-regulation and allows for worldly habits to form thus creating a self-indulgent religious aspect which can only promote itself and not God.  The Bible repeatedly tells us that we cannot do this restorative process alone and that there is only one way possible for eternal life and this eternal salvation cannot be completed by our works.

The definition of doctrine is as follows: “a belief or set of beliefs held and taught by a church, political party, or other groups.”  How important is it that we understand what truth is and what is not?  This seems like a simple and logical question to answer but would it surprise you to know that misinformation and misleading teachings come across our eyes and ears every day?  The answer to the difference between truth and non-truth is covered throughout the entire Bible and when one looks at this statement on a personal level, as they study the Bible, they cannot help but figure out what type of fight is going on for their minds and hearts.  The passage that God wants to use here is 1 Timothy 1:1-5 and it represents a perfect example that false teachings of God’s Word have been around for centuries and can even be stretched back to the Garden of Eden.  In other words, all of us are susceptible in these inaccurate beliefs and that it is of the utmost importance that we know and hide the Word of God in our hearts so that we know a lie when we hear or see one.  How many doctrines do we keep in our hearts that do not fit correctly with God and in the genealogy of Christ?  Do we even understand this genealogy of Christ and what it means to our lives and how important it is to keep this line of life?  I have trouble believing that we do and this belief is confirmed by the horrific examples that we give to others each day.

I do not like politics especially when I must address it in passages and messages but God laid this in my heart and I must obey what He wants us to understand where our importance lies and how we need to refocus our importance of life.  For a while now, there has been some controversy over one of our leaders concerning her heritage and lineage through claims she has made about being from a certain ethnic line.  It has been sadly amusing to watch this inquiry unfold for a couple of years now and it seems like it is coming to a head pretty quickly at present time.  This society of the present day is so anemically hungry to find anything to talk about or to make fun of that they will take a result of anything and stretch it out for days or weeks.  What they do not understand is that they are creating and establishing a genealogy of these instances and introducing it as a line of establishment that needs to be taken as the truth.

This type of genealogy does not have to stick with bloodline issues, these types of lineages can deal with any type of story or article of information that concerns no one or everyone.  It is a line of inquiry that is presented by this world in order to keep your attention drawn away from our Creator and the works that we have been commanded to do.  It is so very easy to get caught up with these images and run with the congruent or adverse ideas that are being spoken and one must admit that once we are sucked into this trap it is difficult to not become absorbed in their content.  How does this serve our lives and in what capacity does it infiltrate our hearts?  1 Timothy 1:4 addresses this issue for just as today, the Early Church had to face similar issues when it came to how many variations or denominations, if you wish, that they faced.  It is the job of our enemy to make sure our hearts stay as confused as possible so that our direction in Christ can be skewed.

Paul understood this concept of the enemy and heard that some of these types of misgivings had infiltrated the churches that Timothy was associated with.  Paul also knew that when these types of genealogies appeared that they could easily be taken as the truth for it is like giving a dog a bone when it comes to self-indulgence on a belief that adheres to your ears.  We must remember that there were no modern day communication lines back when this epistle was written, so it took a bit of time for Timothy to receive such a letter but the effectiveness of the words that Paul wrote to him must have given him the courage and the reassurance to address these issues with the highest level of spiritual confidence.  It does not matter how Paul got this letter to Timothy, for it is the heart that serves as the most important transportation and communication device.  Paul reminded Timothy that the Church has only one genealogical line and that is through Christ alone.  The physical aspects of our lives do not matter when it comes to the eternal, and if our enemy can weasel his way into this lineage he can manipulate all sort of issues into it so that we lose our focus on the eternal lineage and once again place the worldly lineage in our forefront.  This is why God cannot stand denominations of any kind and it is the single reason why Jesus came to establish a single church, not one of human lineage but of His lineage and genealogy.

Now, do you see how important it is that we stay off of the channels of the world that can distract us enough to purchase such ridiculous items that we do not need?  I have fallen for such atrocities and false genealogies and I am positive that the rest of us have as well but more importantly, how many false and impure genealogies have we initiated, established, growth, promoted, and thrived under instead of keeping the one eternal genealogy alive that is vital for our survival?  If the Early Church can become subject to many false genealogies after a few decades after Jesus was on the earth just think how easy it is to fall for such lies thousands of years later.  It is common for Satan to use these types of issues in the physical but what we tend to forget is that these physical issues will bleed into the spiritual if they are not checked quickly.  The only way we can know what is going on in our lives and then take the correct stand against them is to understand and to know the Word of God.

This passage begins with an address by Paul to Timothy and greets him with the love of Christ and praises him for the duty that he has been doing for God’s Kingdom.  Paul immediately addresses the issues that he has heard coming from the area in which Timothy is responsible, Paul in no way is rebuking Timothy but teaching him and telling him that the issues that he is dealing with have spread enough that other areas know of their existence.  Paul is greatly concerned with these issues and wants Timothy to become more aggressive with teaching about the single genealogy of Christ and how important it is to their eternal survival.  The question of denominational power and status and who is deemed worthy of having such continues to grow and will eventually eat up the Church by the time the Medieval Church comes into view.  It is evident that what Paul and Timothy tried their best to teach about did not sink in very well for it was this abuse of authority that unnecessarily claimed so many lives throughout the life and existence of the Church.

I find it so intriguing that God would address this type of subject so early in the life of the Church but when one stops and thinks about things even Moses was concerned about his heritage and lineal abilities when God instructed him to lead the people of God from Egypt.  All God wanted was for Moses to understand that He did not care about where Moses came from but it was his heart that He read and knew that he could serve in the capacity that God needed.  God is the Creator of everything including human lineages and what God wants us to understand is that He really does know our lives even down to that level, but all He wants is our heart’s obedience to His lineage.  Some of you know that my physical lineage is convoluted at best, but when I submit to God and to His Ways my lineage falls right into line with Christ and puts me in a position of obedience on all levels of my life.  This is what Paul was teaching Timothy to tell the Early Church, for when we line ourselves up with Christ our lineages do not matter for our eyes, hearts, and lives fall completely under the doctrine of Christ.

Now we come to the Modern Church and what she is teaching to those who need Christ in their lives for every day we read or hear about another scandal that rocks the Church in some area of our lives.  Can we honestly say that she is completing the message and command of God as our eyes pass over line after line of scandalous ways?  Many are angered by these projections and rightly so, but what are we doing about them, are we just sitting back and shaking our fists in the air and screaming that they are wrong or are we truly being active in cleaning up the spiritual mess and contaminated doctrines that we have allowed to convene and administer these wicked results?  That question has an obvious answer and it is one that God is not proud of and that our enemy absolutely loves.

Do you understand that how we respond to a need or a wrong is reflective of what lies within our hearts?  If a parent allows their child to get away with a lie on any level it teaches that child that there are no rules or boundaries and eventually that child shall cross another boundary and then another until there will be no solidarity within their life, only denominations.  Now, God asks us today to take a look, a close look at the heart of the Church and see where she is concerning God and the mission that Jesus gave to His Church.  She is way off course and is drifting among the waves that the storm has generated, she is confused and standing still in a time where she needs to be out amongst the people witnessing and sharing the gospel of Christ to those who will listen.  Yet, she stands on the street corner and hands out drug needles to addicts and pats them on the back as they walk away without any mention of Christ to them at all.  She is so spiritually tied up in denominational garbage for so long that she no longer understands how to be free in Christ.  This is NOT what Jesus desired for His Church to live nor is it the message that He wished for His Church to convey, it IS, however, what Paul warned Timothy about and what would occur if the Church did not figure out the detailed Truth about being in lineage with Christ.

Unhinged doctrines will quickly seal off our existence with Christ if we allow them to stay within our lives.  Any time we realize that our focus on Christ is swaying or varying, we need to turn to the Word of God and find the answer to combat such lies.  It does not matter what type of unhinged doctrine one wishes to address, they are real and they are present in our lives today.  You are the Church and you are the single most important messenger that God has for the dying world but we cannot allow any type or level of a denominational heart to exist within our lives.  Our hearts must be in line with Christ and when this occurs, no church building or setting, no personal lineage or personal addiction can withstand the lineage of Christ.  This must be our message to those who need God and in order for us to be restored back to this eternal lineage we must turn our hearts back to God and allow Him to work His wonderful process again.  Our hiding place is not stationary but follows us at all times and when we understand this truth about God and His love for us we should not have any issue with any other unhinged doctrine invading our lives.

DLB

Running Your Race

Running Your Race

10/14/18

To get into shape for anything or to keep anything in shape energy must be expunged in order for all parties to be ready.  It does not matter what type of “anything” one may refer to either for all we know things must be conditioned before tests can be made.  There is no way possible that our lives could stand up to difficult challenges if we first did not keep our existence and surroundings complete as possible and it does not take a rocket scientist to know that if these settings are not kept in working order, no possibilities of success shall be on the table.  God wants us to know that if we do not keep up our dominion by preparing to run its course that we shall surely fall and end our existence with failure.  It is for this reason alone that it is our duty to first keep and to dress our dominions and secondly present to the dying world this truth about life and existence.

Now, I participated I track duties when I was in junior high and parts of high school but never really took it too seriously.  I understood the concept of getting into shape for those events but I just could not overcome the fact that training actually had to be done in order to compete.  I have no issues with walking a mile or two but to run and to train to become faster at the said distance just does not make sense to me.  Anyway, I say this from the beginning because even though I might not have liked this arena of sporting events others do and thoroughly enjoy every bit of it.  Training for such events takes time and dedication in order for someone to compete against another, and enemy or nemesis if one wishes to put it in this category.  Furthermore, one can even identify this type of setting to one’s dominion in that if defeated then it can be compared to a breach in the dominion and thus dangerous upon completion.

Beginning this message with a track example is probably the only one that could be acceptable for all of us have heard that our life is a race or a long journey that we are destined to follow and to complete.  All of us are on this journey together and while our paths not be identical in composition we all must run this course and do our best to conquer it as each day passes.  So, it is necessary that we heed to the ones who give us advice along our way, but when we seek solace and wisdom from those who are fallible it shall come back to haunt us some point down the road.  I am not saying that we should ignore all personal advice from others, but if the advice promotes the world and its standards it will not satisfy us in the way that we need and thus further seek worldly counsel instead of the One who Created us.  The world has its own beliefs about life and how we should act, but our Creator has other and holy orders that complete our lives and the only way possible to return to His Ways is to turn our hearts back to Him.

In order for us to know what our race is about and how important it is we must return back to the Book of Genesis and revisit Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.  More specifically, Adam when he and God were talking about the place where he was supposed to live and the job that God gave him to complete.  In Genesis 2:15-17 we have the initial conversation between God and Adam concerning the responsibilities that God wants for His precious and perfect Creations to adhere to.  We must remember that when this command is given to Adam his heart is of a pure nature without any flaws to hinder or dampen his life and that since Adam is in this state a prime target for the enemy who is watching this process unfold.  God did not just create Adam and then allow him to roam without adequate knowledge of what to look out for or how to protect him when troubles (enemy) came along.  Satan knew exactly what God meant when He stated to Adam what was expected of him, for God had at some point in history given the exact same type of responsibility to Lucifer as well.

The command in Genesis 2:15-17 represents the race that Adam and eventually Eve were given to run.  This passage defines our race that each one of us must complete.  This process that God established in the Garden of Eden has not changed one bit for each one of us has the responsibility in completing this course that we have been given.  It does not matter if you are a minister, a business person, a physician, chef, or ditch digger we all have the responsibility to dress and to keep our work for the glory and the standard of God.  The only way that we can successfully complete this mission of ours is not only to have a great work ethic around us but to have the complete and holy Covenant over our hearts as well.  Having only a partial completion is just that, partial.  Our hearts are the most important portion of this equation for it is our hearts that define our lives and provide us with the necessary strength to complete the physical aspect of our dominion.  Dominion is not just the work itself but it also the individual origin of the person assigned to the task.

An important detail to remember here and that our dominion is all around us AND inside us.  In order for our dominion to be kept up and dressed both sides of our dominion need to be intact.  If God does not provide you with perfect dominion status without your own house yet does in your workplace, something is not right and needs to be adjusted; vice versa falls into this category as well.  When this type of setting occurs it may at first not be easily spotted but at some point, it will become clear to you that both aspects of your dominion are not equal.  The Holy Spirit is the one who pokes us in this manner and it is His responsibility to grab our attention so that we can change matters before the Father has to step in.  God absolutely loves to see His children be successful at keeping their dominions intact, but it saddens His heart when only a portion is truly fulfilled.

Because Adam and Eve were humans, it is guaranteed that our enemy convinced them that completing only half of their duties for the day or somewhere less than what was expected was okay and that nothing was wrong with less than 100% percentage completed.  All of us have had times where we just come to a point and say that I have done enough for the day and then walk away until the next day.  There is nothing wrong with this occurring once in a while, but if we allow our enemy to convince us that this practice is okay then our dominion takes a hit.  It is this avenue that Satan lured Adam and Eve down and at some point between Genesis 2:25 & Genesis 3:1 that avenue had been traveled long enough for him to finalize his lies into our DNA.

I have no idea of how much time passed from Genesis 2:25 until Genesis 3:1 appeared, nor do I know how much time passed between Genesis 3:1 and Genesis 3:6 but I do know that that scheduled amount of time had a large impact on what Satan had planned for Adam and Eve and that he had them well in hand in order to complete his mission.  A detail here that should really place a fire under our dominions and that is this: Satan completed his mission to the fullest in Genesis 3:7 so why is it so difficult for us to follow through with God’s command for us concerning our dominion?  If we do not complete our race on a daily basis then we allow Satan to best us and get our goat if you wish, so for this reason alone, we should be totally motivated in dressing our dominion on both sides of the command.  It is easy for us to believe that we can continue to separate our two halves and keep one in hidden enough that our other actions will not produce any activities that would deem a normal life otherwise.  This passage clearly states that this “separation” policy cannot be true and that eventually all aspects of what lies within our hearts shall be made manifest.  We really need to think about this truth when we try to procure policies to keep this or that private from other eyes and this truth also defines just how easy it is for others to notice everything we do, as in for all to see.

Are we honest enough with ourselves to ask if both sides of our dominion are intact and dressed?  Are we honest enough with ourselves to address this question with the allowance of God standing right by our side while we ask for healing?  Or do we superficially look at our outside covering and say nothing is wrong, all is okay and then turn around and face another inner dilemma alone?  For most of us, it is easy to hide our inner dominion from those around us who do not see our worries on a personal level, work usually does not suffer much at first but eventually, it will and our inner dominion defaults ooze out into our public dominion.  God created us in such a manner that in order for our lives to be complete, we must be in tune and in alignment with Him and His Ways.  Even after all of the issues and sinfulness, we place over Him He still offers us an eternal way out of this wickedness, the end of Genesis Chapter 3 gives us this precious and vital detail about how much God wishes for us to be with Him.  This eternal salvation is our true hope in life and it is our responsibility to tell those who do not know about this glorious escape plan.

Another aspect of running our race is how we represent our dominion to others, for it is obvious that if our hearts are not right with God and in constant communication with Him that something will be amiss and quickly detected by others.  Over the last few years, the news concerning the number of suicides that have occurred both in popular culture and in personal towns has skyrocketed.  When these tragedies occur, most people are at a loss for words for society has made talking about this evil act an off-topic subject, screaming foul when someone addresses the spiritual aspect of this procedure.  One can add into this picture any other type of tragedy they wish and the same responses hold true.  It is these types of stories that we read about that define just how bad off our hearts are and how divided our lives have become, simply because we have thrown out God from our lives.  What kind of life expectancy can we believe or live within if the Creator of our existence is not part of our picture?  It is no wonder we have such a high suicide rate and crime rate within our communities, big or small it does not matter.  There is no possible way to live a perfect life in complete harmony and in peace without God, read Genesis Chapters 2 & 3 and it is clear that this is a true claim.

Church, we have fallen down on the job by not believing in what the Word of God states and the reason we have come to this point in our history is that we have believed that we can have portions of the world in our lives without any consequences rendered.  We have believed this lie for a very long time now, so long that we have totally forgotten to look at the condition of our heart and to remember the ONLY way possible for that black spot to be covered correctly.  No physical deeds can mask the identity of our diseased heart and unless we live completely under the blood covenant of Christ there is no way possible that our hearts shall survive eternity.  It is our responsibility to cry unto God for salvation and restoration and it is also our great mission that we tell others about this saving grace that only He offers.  Witnessing to others and sharing the truth about our lives is what defines our hearts; it is up to us to either tell this truth or to tell a lie to those around us.  It is obvious of how and where our hearts are by what we teach and present to others for if we do not measure up with the Word of God at all times and at 100% continually, the blackness of our heart will eventually show through as our sinful nature deems convicted.

Running our race and completing it does not mean that we cross that finish line and then our life is over, but in order to really and truly complete our race is to allow others to understand what Jesus does to the appearance and condition of our hearts.  One day each one of us shall have their heart stopped permanently and then our eternity begins and it is up to us to show others that this eternal placement of ours depends totally on the fact if we live for Christ or not and if we really live for Christ we will gladly spread the eternal gospel to those who we have relationship with, whether they receive it or not we still need to live in this mission statement that Jesus gave to us so long ago.  How is your heart?  Is it running the race to its fullest or is it on the sidelines watching soul after soul depart this earth for their eternal placement?  Come on, Church, let us wake up and turn our hearts back to God so that we too can breathe the eternal air and give it freely to others that are dying.

DLB

A Mattock in a Spear Fight

A Mattock in a Spear Fight

10/9/18

Arriving at a battle with the most advanced weaponry is of the most importance if one wishes to survive the conflict facing them.  This type of preparedness also includes knowing how to fight the enemy and to understand how they will act before, during, and after the battle.  Yet, so many of us continue to fight the world and its ruler with weapons that are just not able enough to withstand his attacks and with such known outcomes and when the next round is about to begin, we show up with the same weapons that were used previously we cannot ignore these indignations when we walk away defeated once again.  At no time shall God prepare His warriors for a defeated battle and if our hearts are in line with His Ways, the weapons of our warfare will surely be stronger than what our enemy combats with; this is a guarantee from God.

Now, when I was a younger man in school and living under my parent’s house there were a few rules that were never really discussed but once mentioned expected to be followed at all times.  One of these rules included the act of fighting and how I should never find myself in a position that would promote such an activity.  Most of my growing up years did not include such settings and I really did not have to worry about such altercations but there were a few times that my physical abilities were challenged by another.  In both cases, I talked my way out of these circumstances and I was so glad that I found the words to say because if I had not my physicality and agility would have seriously hindered those two days.  Plus, the words of my father came back to me as I was standing there dancing my way out of things and those words were this: you better not ever get into a fight with another person but if you do, you better win.  In those few potentially horrific aftermaths of mine I realized just how smart I was to use the weapon of words to lure me out of danger, I did not threaten whatsoever nor did I attack any other friend or family member of the person I was confronting at the time and it was this opportunity that comes back to me today that I chose the wiser of the weapons to fight my enemy that day and that weapon that was used came from God and ended any further hostilities down the road.

I was not a skilled fighter by any means and even the thought of me harming another person just turned my stomach enough not render myself totally vulnerable in said circumstance, I just never had the heart to do battle someone on the physical level for a “dominant” position.  I guess the healing mentality and heart that God gave me when was a baby set the stage for such occupational desires both when I was young and today as my age begins to creep up in time.  As my parents as ministers I have witnessed countless numbers of people talk with them who have been both physically and emotionally devastated by other humans and as I take a look back at some of those instances, I can honestly say that I understand that while the physical hurts well the inner pain inflicted on a person is far greater and shall last for an unspecified amount of time long after the bruises go away.

Sadly, I wish I could say that the majority of people today end problems and issues between each other through gentle and kind words without the use of force against one another.  But when modern-day filmmakers and every other itemized entertainment corporations encourage the violent and entangled methods of solving problems this wish of mine does not even get to be placed on the table as an option let alone as a first resort for conflict.  There is nothing wonderful or gracious about someone using violence or great physical intimidation against another human being in order to make a point or to gain an advantage over another.  This last week our nation was enthralled and entangled in a Supreme Court nomination and when one listened to the protestors and demonstrators complete sadness could not be helped but be felt.  One lady wanted to grab the attention of those around her so they all could pray for what was about to occur.  The protestors did allow her to begin to pray but as soon as she did they began banging their drums louder close to her and screamed louder their own rants.  There cannot be anything good come from this type of activity towards others but we seem to enjoy displaying our stupidity and ignorance because we are not getting our way.  So, who came to the battle prepared here and which side of the truth was eventually demonstrated?

The passage that God wants us to understand today comes from 1 Samuel 13:16-22 and it deals with being prepared and understanding how to be prepared when a battle is about to be conducted in your presence.  I have probably read this passage a couple of times in my life but never really understood what was going on here and how the enemy of Israel gained so much control over their mechanized weaponry that their attentiveness in battle here proves that their hearts were not right with God.  We must also remember that the same enemies of Israel during biblical times are still the enemies of her today and should be recognized and stand out as sole participants against the Kingdom of God.  Another small itemized detail about this period of time is that Israel has already made its claim to a worldly status and thus proving its earthly worth in the devastating decay of Israel.

1 Samuel 13:16 begins our passage by giving us the location of Saul and Jonathan and the positions of the Philistines and the camps and companies that they represented.  It is clear that Israel and her enemy are about to do battle against each other and strategic positioning is ongoing in preparation for such battle.  We must remember that this is not a modern-day military battle but one that occurred many times over back then so the legitimate weaponry will be different but in no case, all sides had the responsibility to be prepared at all times for such encounters.  As the positioning continued it became clear that one item of weaponry had been taken out of the hands of the Israelites over an amount of time and that was the spears and swords, a major component of fighting and there was no one to blame but Israel’s leaders for this issue.  1 Samuel 13:19 states this fact for the Philistines themselves did not allow Israel to be prepared for such a day and thus proves that the enemy of Israel had already won a major victory in the upcoming battle before it had begun.  Verses 20-21 state as follows: “But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his ax, and his mattock.  Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads.”  These two verses really stand out to me and should do the same for us when it comes to our enemies and how military tactics play a superior role on each side of the battle line. 

Now, most of us know what an ax is, how long it is and what it can be used for as a weapon if need be.  It is always a hand-held tool that is not very long and will not extend too much further from a person’s hand due to its size and weight.  If the ax is thrown from the hand the weapon no longer is considered to be effective and unless picked up cannot be used again for any purpose either.  A coulter is a thin work of metal that usually is used for seeding and thus not too long for it too must be guided by a hand or another lot of controlled energy.  It can be used as a weapon but in its original capacity cannot be too heavy for when using it for seeding a tight row is needed not an open and wide one for planting.  We all know what the duty of a fork is so I shall not warrant too much time stating that this type of weapon falls into the same category as ones already described.  A mattock is a simple pickaxe and once again falls into the useless category of a combat item when superior weapons are already possessed.

At the beginning of World War II, the Polish army had one of the most decorated and finest cavalry regiments ever marshaled.  These units were top of the line and had a long and proud heritage to back up their presence on a potential battlefield.  Yet, while these men and horses served their duty well in previous wars and skirmishes.  On the eve of WWII, Germany posed many such cavalry units as well and in fact, placed many of them on the frontier lines between Germany and Poland providing a false sense of security in Poland.  While Germany showed their military equipment upfront they hid their prowess in that they had developed the modern tank which was made of steel and not horseflesh.  As soon as the Germans crossed the border it was clear, those horse cavalry units with their decorations waving in the wind were no match for even the lightest armored tank and machine guns.  The enemy had allowed them to believe that their weapons and how they were going to use them would be sufficient in a future battle.  Germany lied and the belief in this lie cost thousands of men and horses their lives within a few hours of WWII.

Now, when one stops and thinks about this type of weaponry and the allowance that the other side takes no fear in, would that or shouldn’t that strike some kind of flag or warning in a person’s head?  In 1 Samuel 13:19 it states that Philistine would not allow any smiths to be present in Israel, which means any type of heavy metal workings could not be done unless the enemy said so in the beginning.  HELLO!!!  This should be a huge signal for those who were in Israel for they were not allowed to see or to make anything heavy enough to use against the enemy if needed.  How can anyone with any type of defensive or militaristic mind allow this to occur over any period of time?  This verse alone shows us of what happens when we fall into the hands of our enemies and how effective their combat initiatives are when we do not understand what is being fought for and over.  While this picture may be setting the stage on the physical aspects of humans it also declares the same type of status in the spiritual aspects of our lives as well.  The weapons that the Philistines allowed the Israelites to sharpen and to mold could pose a slight risk to their army but nowhere near what a sword could have done.  We must also contend that if Israel had not chosen the ways of the world back a few chapters previous, God would have never allowed such incompetence to be categorized in the Israelite camp for God is a protector on all aspects of life and thus shall never sell short those who live under His covenant.

Verse 22 of our passage sums up the reality of the weaponry status of Israel: “So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and Jonathan his son was there found.”  Who really cares if the leaders of the army are decorated with the finest articles of warfare if no one else has such equipment?  This demonstrates a political game and flash and dance scheme that the enemy laughs at when confronted with because they already know what type of weapons the fighters have for it is they whom they will be fighting.  Plus, two swords versus an entire army of swords, no match at all but it is this symbol of action with the world that God really does not wish to condone for it is devised from a human perspective and not one that comes from the heart of God.  God and those who listen to His Words at all times never come in 2^nd in a battle, for we all know what occurs to those who come in 2^nd place after a battle. 

When we allow ourselves to be aligned with our eternal enemy we automatically allow 1 Samuel 13:19-20 rule our lives and proves that our decision to allow such alliance to live within our lives is a horrific idea and should be avoided.  Our enemy shall always concur with this type of decision and will provide you with what may seem to be an adequate defensive system as a “reward” for making such decision but when it comes time for battle it will be known that the standards provided are not the same as what the enemy has in his possession.  If our enemy “gives” you or “offers” you ANYTHING, know that this “gift” shall be used against you in some form or fashion down the road.  Our enemy cannot ever give you something that shall promote the Kingdom of God and if it looks like it is doing so you need to turn it over to God and allow Him to examine it and to show the truth.  The enemy knows this and evidence surrounds this knowledge in verse 19 when the Philistines admit what swords and spears could do in the future.

This passage teaches us that there is nothing good that comes out when we decide to make friends with and the subsequently rely on our enemies for support.  It is also through this type of contempt that gives us an excellent look at where our hearts are focused and centered for any time we turn our ambitions towards the world, nothing good can come as a result.  The same occurs in the spirit realm as well when it is time for us to do battle against our enemy.  We can never forget that Satan knows the Word of God backward and forwards and he will “give” the ability to sharpen our warrior skills only to a certain level if we do not seek God for our answers and battle plan at all times.  We have become the Israelites in 1 Samuel 13 for we look to replenish our fighting skills through their tactical methods and instruments and to ignore the one and only source of our physical and spiritual survival, the Word of God.

It has become evident that we have fallen into this false sense of security when it comes to the advancement of the Kingdom of God so much so that we no longer understand or desire to advance the mission that Jesus gave us to do while He was on earth.  How evident?  The Church would rather go argue at a protest or even join them instead of teaching that God loves them and wants peace in their lives and most importantly to look towards Him for Truth and not the world.  The Church also supports such alternative protests which provide an opportunity to be witnesses for God and to bring people to God yet while these “other” protests occur we never hear how many people were saved or were witnessed to during these movements.  God could care less if we had a weekly protest or movement parade every day, He could care less if our intentions were of a noble standard, ALL HE CARES ABOUT is that His beloved Creations turn their hearts back towards Him and live for His Covenant.  So, that is the evidence of where our heart is and where it is not.

Our hearts have become so jaded and then covered with self-righteousness that we fail to recognize that the stench that we smell is coming from our rotting hearts inside our lives and it is time we recognize this smell and change the condition of our hearts before God has to intervene.  It is imperative that we recognize that we have gained much of our status today from worldly offerings and that what we have received is of no use to us when it comes time to spiritually combat the same enemy that handed out these “gifts” and “supplies” to us.  Can we not see how dangerously defeating this policy is in our lives?  We choose to accept the ways of the world but reject the Truth from the One who provides birds with their food and shelter?  We have become so blind and pathetic against the wiles of the enemy that we cannot recognize that the information we are absorbing into our lives represents a death warrant even before the battle begins our lives and fate are sealed.

This is not an example of Christ’s Church that He established and ordained when He walked the earth, nor is it any type of true example of life for those who are in need and are looking for the truth.  Scandal after scandal appears in the news about how another priest, layman, or other leader has succumbed to temptation around them.  My father ran into this type of filth way back in the early 1980s in the church that he went to and this type of spiritual demise ran without check-in that congregation and was utterly in control when his tenure began.  No huge headlines occurred when these secrets began to be uncovered but the overwhelming demonic presence and activity were flying around unabated yet none of the people were concerned, with the exception of a few and an angel that God placed in our midst.

Where is the Word of God in our lives and how is it begin used as a sense of weaponry against our spiritual enemy?  Clearly, we have used its content for our own advancement and not God’s Kingdom.  We are demonstrating the exact same tactic that the Israelites did in this passage that God has given us today when we do not seek His Word first and to listen to His commands of protection and advancement.  God has never been defeated and shall never be defeated so why would we accept such destroyed and defeated weapons as our battlefront?  It is time we repent Church and allow God to dig deep down into our lives and to change our hearts.  He has one of two ways to accomplish this feat, one is on the voluntary level and even though painful is the best and easiest manner known.  The other manner is by grabbing our heart’s attention through His supernatural hand and taking care of spreading the truth in such a way, while this way is more devastating God understands that He would rather prepare and change our hearts on an individual level than in this way.  Bringing a mattock to a spiritual battle is a grave error that we must realize before the first strike occurs.  If we continue to allow our enemy to fool us into believing that simple weapons will do the trick against his own fight, we are sunk.

This passage and examples should shed light on a more specific topic and one that we need to review further, and that is of the status of our heart.  At no time during this passage did the children of Israel ever consult God and what He wanted from them during their preparations.  All attention was given trying to get the Philistines to cooperate with them to perfect in their fighting weapons.  Do you realize exactly what this process of asking the enemy for help means?  It does not matter if one person does this or as in this case an entire nation consulting the enemy to help them to protect them (Israel) against them (Philistines) in the near future.  This gives us a pretty clear picture that Israel’s heart was not on God and had fulfilled their wish to be like other nations around them, a clear and eternal mistake that we make today when we seek opportunities with the world instead of God.  No blame can be administered to anyone else but ourselves, for even the heart of the Church is promoting such selfish and worldly weaponry.  We need to change our hearts, Church before God has to take His turn; for, what we are doing today can be no higher example of one bringing a mattock to a spear fight.

DLB

Loss From A Promised Victory

Loss From A Promised Victory

10/7/18

The title of this article brings out an emotion of ours that many of us have experienced before yet still do not know how to handle.  All of us have had some type of victory smashed in front of us but not know why the results concluded as they did, this was not the intended answer we believed would transpire.  We find this type of example many times in the Bible and those who know who to ask for the truth find it but for those who rely on other sources seem to wander around aimlessly without any direction.  God wants everyone to understand that He is the only being that can provide constant, pure, holy, and complete guidance for every occasion that arises within our lives, but we first need to know Him and to know that when things turn chaotic that it is His advice and not the world’s that will be around when troubles arrive.

It is truly time once again as I will ask a question about personal relationships and then center the question around who you take advice from to reach a conclusion about what has just transpired.  Every single person in this world has had some type of relationship go sour and end or have a setting suddenly fall apart when it was not expected, and the way we handle such conditions really sets into motion the expressions that we give off to those who were involved in the other side of the process.  We know that we cannot control their actions or stop their wishes for the said circumstances.  But should their actions be the most enjoyable target for our hearts to think about or should it be ours and how we could improve for the future?  Have you ever considered such an option or have you just followed suit and took practice at doing your best to “right” the situation with a nasty smear campaign with mutual friends and acquaintances?  I was the master at ignoring those who I believed did me wrong and now as I look back at those idiotic choices I made I see that not only did it hurt those involved but it hurt me further because my heart was not asking for help from the correct person, along with the correct attitude in place as well.

I have to admit that in most of my hardship cases when I was younger and after I became an adult that my heart was not set into motion concerning what I could have done to improve my words, actions, and most importantly my heart but to focus on how to seek a vengeance mentality without physically striking out.  ALL of us have had these types of tendencies towards our ex’s and those who have done us wrong in other types of relationships.  We hear about this type of activity through such phrases as “karma”, “getting what they deserve”, or some other type of word or phrase that places the blame on them instead of our contributions to the setting.  I used to distribute such nonsense when I was dumped in younger years and when it came to my marriage, the blame went round like wildfire trying to settle scores that I know I could win yet defacing the truths about my own heart that needed to be fixed instead of scapegoating the truth to one side.  It is easy for us to ask God to strike them down for what they did to us or what we believe they did to our lives, but as asked previously, is this really a good practice to harbor or is it justifying a divisional process that will only breed further divisions in our future possibly to our own children down the line?  This is the truth that God wants us to understand and wants us to ask Him for guidance through a repentant heart instead of an accusatory anger that can only produce further stripping away.

There are countless examples that one can use from the Bible to accurately describe the condition of a human heart when things go wrong but God has chosen to continue our current study in Joshua as the setting for the message He wants us to hear today.  Our passage will be from Joshua 7:10-12 and will deal with the condition of Joshua’s heart after the loss at Ai even though it was supposed to be an easy promised victory.  As we have previously heard, Joshua and his army were to take the city of Ai and with all of the positive reports from the scouts, it seemed like God was correct again in that it should be a quick victory as they had just witnessed at Jericho.  But something went wrong and disaster struck the army even before they reached the gate of Ai, so much so that the army of Israel actually turned face and ran away from the battle even though they had followed what God had shown the scouts and Joshua.  This was the beginning of a setting that did not turn out pretty for one man and his family but it also demonstrates to us just what answers can be given to us and how we should deal with them as long as we know which source of information to ask.

It is vitally important that we understand that God created us to be in our standoffish manner, separated from these types of acts because they do not represent God and His Ways.  When Achan heard that they were not supposed to take anything for personal use or gain because it was accursed, it should have perked up his ears enough not to want nothing to do with but instead the layers of his heart were intrigued about just exactly why things were so exotic and accursed enough to warrant God’s telling of not to take.  This single act of a previous victory was the key influence of a devastating loss to Israel and served as the ignition point of a failed battle campaign from that point onward.  Obedience or disobedience originates in our hearts and it is our choice, which color our hearts choose to live.  This passage gives us the perfect example of how we need to direct our eyes towards God and to live for Him every day, for when our hearts become blackened with sin the separation from our Creator is not far behind.

When one turns on the news in this day and age it becomes apparent real quick that there are numerous amounts of fires that present themselves in our nation alone.  As I watch the so-called experts try to place blame for what has occurred, they all have a common speech in that our issues are due to other people’s voices and points of view that differ from theirs as the reason for such internal destruction and thus destabilization of our nation.  And at the same time, their only response to how to end such violence is with a human-based answer that promotes their agenda on all sides and leaves out any other party’s aspects if disagreement is present.  What a futile response and solution, for this type of answer only deals and can only deal with the superficial aspect of the issue and does not even come close to touching the root of the problem which means that root is still alive and will continue to grow and flourish as originally began.  In addition, when we treat superficially the things that harm us or place us in dangerous positions the problem will not just grow again but follow the truth that Jesus gave us in Matthew 12:44 where He shows us what occurs if the roots are not drawn from the ground and replaced with the real vine.  When one clings to the superficial always remember that whatever solution they deem correct shall only produce further and more in-depth struggles down the road.  Here we see that Joshua does the opposite and seeks out the truth by desiring to reach the root of the failure.

It is easy for us to quickly point the blame in any other direction but our own and if we do not lower our pointed fingers and stop and examine the possibility that the fault lies within our lives, times shall not change but continue to grow uglier as each day passes.  That is why it is vital that we listen to what God shares with us today and to take heed of the passage that He wants us to recognize as to how to deal with issues that comes as a surprise even though the victory had already been promised while in defeat.  The passage is a continuation of the study we have been doing for a couple of articles now in Joshua so we shall continue with Joshua 7:10-12.  One must ask ourselves if the procedures we do in order to find out why things occurred in our lives really come from our heart or from our superficial emotions, and the example Joshua gives here shows us this difference.

Joshua brings himself to the face of God by ensuring that he seeks the correct guidance for the answers needed due to the embarrassing defeat by their enemy before the battle even began and a picture painted of a very dangerous position to be in because something terribly wrong had to have occurred for God to not be present during that defeat.  But instead of God trusting down His hand against Joshua for the sins of the nation before the battle, God opens His heart and shows Joshua exactly what the issue was and how through this one act caused Israel to lose such truth within their ranks of existence.  Joshua 7:10 states: “And the Lord said unto Joshua, get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus on thy face?”  God wants Joshua on his feet so that He can address the situation with Joshua face to face and not allowing Joshua to hide, kind of like when Adam and Eve tried to hide their guilt with fig leaves or when Moses talked with God through the burning bush, God is a direct God and nothing can be hidden when speaking to Him, a condition we must always remember when we think about judgment day.

Verse 11 states: “Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff.”  There is a bunch of information in this verse and when God speaks about what the origins of the issue were He did not beat around the bush and this is obvious with the first three words of the verse when God plainly states that Israel had sinned.  Even though Israel was on the correct path for preparing for the battle the disobedient portion of the issue had already taken place and had been executed, but it did not pass from God’s heart and it had to be dealt with on the same level of execution of when the sin had been committed.  We must remember one item when it comes to dealing with sin, Satan shall never admit to anything and blame others for the issues at hand; therefore, when confronted those who do not believe in or reside under Covenant shall act according to their master and not believe in the entire process of Covenant living either.  In this simple portion of a verse, God outlines exactly what occurred and just how important it is that everyone living within a community or nation live in accordance with His Ways; disobedience ruled that day.

It is this point of the message that begins into play a condition that all of us suffer from and that is known as sin of the heart.  In theory and above all appearances, Joshua and all of the army of Israel should have walked up and slaughtered their enemy without any issues what-so-ever, but it was the condition of one ma that thwarted this victory BEFORE the battle even began.  The word before is the key here because the effects of such a darkened heart through direct disobedience had already gained enough ground that the army and its mission was defeated before anything began.  It is this condition of our darkened hearts that God wants us to identify before He must do the same so we can change the outcome of our battles from a devastatingly defeat to a glorious victory.  We must always remember that a blackened heart and its intentions may be hidden from the outside eyes, but it is never too far from the eyes of God.  Another detail to remember about such a darkened inner secret of ours is that God cannot allow such blessings of victory override His authority according to His definition, in other words, if our victories are made without 100% compliance with God and His Ways then at some point in time He must crack our chest and expose the evil that lies within.

A quick response to this result of Israel would be to ask why did God choose this moment to inflict His Judgment at this point in the Book of Joshua instead of waiting for another opportunity to prevail As the eternal Father of each person.  The answer is quite clear as well for it does not matter at what point in time God makes such an act apparent, but the important idea is that at some point He shall execute judgment so why not obey first and not have to worry about such judgment or future ill consequences of such evil desires from within.  Obedience is all God wanted from the people when the victory of Jericho occurred and give the results of such victory to His House and not the personal issues of those who did not obey.

So, can we ask ourselves this question as well and truly look at our hearts in order to see what lies within them before God has to expose them?  The process if chosen correctly will be a painful one but if far better to serve one day in the court of God instead of thousands elsewhere.  Church, you are a beloved institution that God wishes to use for His glory and Kingdom but He cannot allow our blackened hearts to receive dividends when He stands in complete opposition of this state we are in.  There can be no question about it that our “Achanous” have led us to this state of standard and of living and it is time we truly turn our hearts over to God because Whether or not we wish to believe it or not and how hard we try to hide it He definitely sees our hearts and the color it has.  In overall truth, the actions of our darkened hearts rob us of any victory that we have over the enemy which he really does not care anyway because knows that as long as our hearts are darkened he has our victory in hand.

DLB