The Violence of Grace

The Violence of Grace

3/5/12

Grace is a term that Christians and non Christians use as a reference towards God and His allowance for us to live within His spiritual guidelines.  In this message is designed to enlighten us into the depth of grace and what it actually means to our lives.  This message will also expose how humans trace this word into their daily vocabulary as the simultaneously walk away from this concept and of course the restoration portion of grace will bring into play the concept of real grace and the importance of its content.

Some of you probably are wondering why I am including non Christians into this message, it is a good question and here is the reason why.  Many people believe that only Christians live under the grace of God, well, they don’t all of actually live under His grace to some degree.  If all people did not have this opportunity then why did Jesus talk to the people that were not associated with the church, including the lepers, prostitutes, tax collectors, etc, etc?  Our concept of grace solely depends upon the means that God grants us each day and in this stance we owe everything that we have to Him.  So, if this is the case I must include everyone in the grace concept since we are all humans and are living on this beautiful place called earth.

There are many definitions of grace that come to mind when someone asks for a definition, the main one concerns ourselves with God and His allowance for us to make human mistakes all the while understanding the consequences of our sins.  But have we really taken a hard look at what actually happened when grace became an option to our lives?  How many times have we known that our present actions are wrong and then claim grace for our covering?  What was the penalty that had to be paid for this grace and once we know this grace, how should we live our lives accordingly?  This is the reason I have trouble with people when they throw out this word in common language and thought.

Most of know the story of when Jesus went into the tabernacle and began overturning the tables inside.  Remember how astonished the story portrayed the people and how they could not understand why he was so upset?  Jesus understood that God’s place of residence was the tabernacle, and it has been said that our bodies are tabernacles so the concept of grace applies to both settings.  We view the tabernacle as a spiritual place where we go to worship, then the same applies to our human spirit as well and given our unique Godly creation the concept of grace becomes our lifeline with God.  Grabbing the connection?

Remember the movie “The Passion of the Christ”?  Remember how much publicity it received about how violent the movie was and how it was not suitable for the majority of the younger generations to view it?  Ever wonder why no other movie with this violent content was fussed over?  It was because the spirit was in play in this movie and to date that movie probably has been the closest to depicting actual events of that time.  None of us will ever know the exact events but you can imagine the scenery that took place; it was similar I know.

Another daring thing to say concerning this movie is the aftermath that took place with the director of the movie, remember him?  And how his faith was placed into the forefront during this time?  What happened to him shortly after the success of the movie began to run its course?  A few compromised standards, or grace beliefs, and he fell hard.  Everything that the movie did to propel God’s Kingdom forward was replaced by the advancement of Satan’s kingdom with a few human acts, which strengthens my position and beliefs on the spiritual matter of this topic.

This is the violent part of grace that we tend to forget about and why it is important for us to keep this part of grace in our fore thoughts and not in our casual daily language.  What Jesus endured during his trial and beatings was unimaginable and there is no way that we can compare this deed with anything known to man that places a spiritual context to this act.  The stripes that Jesus bore for us were the sign of grace that we should keep in our minds when we think of wrongdoings.  The carefully planned scheme of torture was enjoyed by the soldiers administering this sentence and who could forget the pinnacle of grace while Jesus was on the cross and recognized the repentant heart of the thief.

Grace was one of the founding concepts of Jesus’ ministry when He walked the earth which in turn slapped the church leaders in their faces in front of all humanity to witness.  Grace takes the religious laws and intertwines them together in such a way that both can be followed with an open mind of forgiveness.  Not a type of forgiveness that ignores the truth or a law that condemns a person when evil is done, but an enlightenment of the spirit within us to recognize the perils of our acts and remember not to perform these evil acts again.  It provides the sea that God tosses our sins into and it also represents the basis of kingdom principles.

The early church fathers lived these persecutions on a daily basis, they saw many things that we do not face today, but the latter church leaders have forgotten about the true meaning of grace and have allowed the “passive” grace message to infiltrate its walls and have embraced it as a true teaching.  Church leaders, including the leaders of top positions have used grace to account for their treasonous acts towards people who do not believe in the same likeness.  Churches have watered down this message of grace to the point where the ones who drink of it cannot even tell any difference from the message of the world.  This watered down message of grace has been preached and progressively embraced over the centuries and it is time for us to call upon these leaders to stop believing these lies and to overturn the tables in our sanctuary.  There is nothing grace waters down so too should we not pour our own glasses of water into the mix. 

When we add water to things the water dilutes the original state and the flavor or the true taste is drawn out of the recipe.  This is exactly what humans have done to the concept of true grace and at the same time have provided a false sense of security dealing with to those who do not believe in God.  We have diluted grace down by adding our own principles to its concepts and these ideas only serve to limit grace and its intended purposes in our lives.  Jesus did not go into this torture half-heartily and we should not live with the results that he gave us in the same way.

Jesus understood that our sanctuary represents our spirit which is a clear example of why He went to great lengths to make it known his displeasure of the activities within the sanctuary.  We need to get on the same playing level as Jesus did and to renew the relationship that God provided through the willingness of Jesus.  God is about to complete Jesus’ tabernacle actions in our sanctuaries, and grace will not be an issue at that time.  Now is the time to restore our sanctuaries to their rightful places and restore the true meaning of grace within our lives.

So when we say that we are thankful for the grace of God we must have no excuses to violate that grace by continually living in a manner that would test the lengths of that grace on a voluntary basis.  It is our duty and responsibility to live within the confines of that grace and to protect it with our lives so that true grace can be revealed to others that do not know about this grace.  It is a wonderful thing that Jesus paid this price for the grace that we live in but keep in mind that it really was a price that was paid.  Restoring the grace we once believed in should be a motto of our lives and not just a phrase that we throw out in casual thinking.  When we speak concerning grace we need to ensure that we use the word with conviction and not in useless slander of its meaning. 

Spirit understands the importance of grace and what it means for the human.  The entire meaning of grace is another example of a supernatural event that we cannot fully understand but the portions that we can understand we need to embrace and follow as if our life depended upon it, and to be honest it does.  Grace is a condition that was created so that when God looks through our lives He sees nothing but the blood of His son.  God knows that there is no way that we could actually be innocent and He recognizes that when He looks through the blood He sees people that loved His son enough to obey the laws set forth by God.  This is the true act of grace so why would we care to water down the desired effects of the grace that protects us.  Return home and give up our glasses of watered down grace and begin to re-live immaculate benefits of true grace. And everything that it has to offer humans.

Our relationship with God depends upon grace that the blood gives to us and this grace was paid for with a violent exchange of events.  True forms of violence always sheds blood for the cause and God’s plan was that His son provide a pure sacrifice so that all mankind can witness grace and be washed in the blood of the lamb.  I am not exempt from this watering down situation since I have ignored the grace that has been given to my life, in other words I too have poured water into the blood that was shed for me and if you say that you have not then you just added another glass.  Restoration only comes from the blood of Christ and by no other way. 

DLB

Tomorrow, Today Will Be Just A Memory

Tomorrow, Today Will Be Just A Memory

3/1/12

This topic was introduced to me back in October of last year but it is not until now that I have been released to write about it.  The subject deals with yesterday and the memories that we have in our minds versus the reality of forgetting about these memories in present times in our lives.  It is hard for our human minds to really get a concept of time.  The only thing that we can actually understand is the present, what is happening now, the actual events that are immediately around us.  Tomorrow we do not know what will transpire and yesterday we can remember but we cannot give the accurate details of things that occurred.  However, when certain special occasions or other events occur at a specific point today, the minds triggers memories of the past.  This triggering of memories is actually a step in the process of restoration and becomes a valuable piece of connectivity with God.

Back last year my mother gave me a topic to consider writing on and to be honest I have struggled with this topic because I could not think of how to write about it.  I knew that it was a good topic that could deal with restoration and that it would be an excellent opportunity for another message.  I continued to keep this concept in my mind and when it would appear to me I still could not put it into words.  It was not until the day of my oldest daughter’s wedding that this concept became clear in my mind.  Interesting way of bringing a writing concept into play but God’s way of thinking is not always the exact way we see things unfold.

We as humans are exposed to many events during each day, and if asked about some of these events each one of us would have their own interpretation of them.  If you pool the interpretations together one can formulate a general event happening that should pacify everyone involved as to what happened.  Police perform this type of pooling when they are gathering evidence in a case.  However, there are certain times where only one person is witness to a situation and this interpretation of events is the only information that can be used. 

For a person who is trying to gather information it is difficult for them to really understand what is going on in another person’s world at this very same time.  So, why do we spend so much time worrying about or thinking about the past or in the future?  The past flies by us and most of the time we do not stop and think about it until another event rekindles those memories.  It is these events in our past that forms a bond with people and allows us to construct a relationship with the people involved.  So even though we forget about the details of the events of the past, the bonds still remain within our minds and to be more specifically our spirits.

Just a few centuries ago, humans believed that the world was flat and if a person ventures out to that edge he or she would fall off the earth and end up somewhere “off this world”.  Humans actually believed this concept and made laws against exploring areas that were unknown to the scholars of that era.  It is a simple idea to follow but at the same time it provided a foundation of information that still provides many with questions on another plane of investigatory objects, space and what is actually out there.  So, have we changed that much or have we just progressed a tiny fraction in our quest for answers.

We have since learned, with technology that the earth is round and that the earth revolves around the sun and with this motion and shape it gives us explanations of how the basic functions of the earth complete their duties.  As time advanced, more knowledge of more specific earth functions and movements have become known.  Both the scientist and the non scientist are amazed at how things are so precisely set into motion and if just one error in this motion occurs, the entire earth as we know it would probably explode or fly out of orbit and land in another part of the galaxy.  With the minute answers we have received, they have tied us together in such a unity with each other that we now are all affected by further discoveries and knowledge, which leads me to my point of the past and its knowledge for our own lives today.

My oldest daughter was married this week, in which as some of you may remember that this is the one who was never going to get married.  It was a beautiful ceremony with a few family and close friends present.  The wedding fittingly took place in a small mountainous community in an equally small and beautiful church.  Everything went according to plan, as weddings go, and all seemed perfect.  The day ended with joy and happiness as the bride and groom left the church in a shower of bubbles.

I know that everyone present at the ceremony had thoughts about past events about both the bride and groom.  We grandparents, parents and friends all have experiences with the wedding party and cannot help but remembering some of these events as time grew closer to the blessed day.  The same goes for the minister that performed the ceremony, which so happened to be the grandfather of the bride.  Dad, with more than fifty years of experience, can honestly say that weddings can turn out to be some of the more interesting events experienced.

Many ministers have the opportunity to marry their children but very few have the privilege to marry their grandchildren.  As all of us run through the memories of the wedding party, dad must have been flooded with thoughts throughout the day.  Any steps had been taken so that he could perform the ceremony.  A nagging knee and a major surgery loomed large in his sights that had to be completed before the wedding, then would come the therapy so that he could stand and complete the wishes of his granddaughter.

The wishes of his granddaughter….seems like a trivial matter to some but to a grandparent those wishes speak volumes to their ears and a process that a grandparent would not miss unless there is no other means around the situation.  Known differences in beliefs, attitudes towards other members of the family, travelling time, and other details could not keep him from performing the ceremony.  There is no way that I could accurately convey all of the thoughts that passed through dad’s head during this time, but I know one thing for sure that he was one of the proudest people in that church that day and no one can ever take that memory away from him.

Is this the last wedding dad will conduct, I do not know.  Will the upcoming district council be the last one he attends or will the next speaking engagement he gives be his last, I doubt it.  I do know that he can place himself in a top category of getting to marry a son and a granddaughter and that he wishes that his physical abilities keep him around to see other grandchildren complete this same ceremony.  But completing this ceremony actually placed footsteps in many lives this week.  The grace and forgiveness of God was portrayed through the ceremony and the strengthening of relationships through covenant means was accepted by all parties involved.  Whether they know it or not, and most will not realize this aspect, everyone that participated in the ceremony accepted the covenant that the bride and groom made and are now participants in that covenant.

Upon further examination, this process directly relates to the process of restoration.  It restores many memories of families’ lives that might have been forgotten.  It gives us a chance to jot things down once again so that our future generations understand exactly what is going on in the minds of others at this time, and isn’t getting to know someone better, a person that has been around in your life another prime example of restoration? 

Yes the cultural standards and beliefs of others may be different and hard to understand for some of us, but in the end the memories of our forefathers is one of the greatest treasures that a person has in life.  The same goes for God in the fact that He being the ultimate forefather in all of our lives, it is important to understand God in every way possible.  God will never vanish from existence or His influence over the earth as we know it, but there will come a time, some time in our lives where we are faced with a decision to make concerning God.  It is also important to understand that not all aspects of our children’s culture will be acceptable to our mindsets but we still need to identify with their ways so that we can relate to them when they come to us seeking advice or asking for guidance in decisions that they have to make.

It has been proven over and over that people who know God understand the importance of family and values not only for their individual lives but for societal morals as well.  The memories that we harbor inside our minds and spirit I believe will play a huge role in the future of the human race so it is vital that the memories that we place into our children’s hearts be ones of Godly interests and morally sound so that we know that God’s plan for the future of humanity continues to ring out to the world.

Yes, yesterday is a memory and will never be replayed exactly the same ever again, but tomorrow is the future and our roles in those events can repeat itself in other ways that will be burned into our children’s head for the remainder of their lives.  The next question that begs attention is what will be burned into their heads and what part of that burning will be yours?  What memories will they write down when their grandchildren get married or when they return home from serving their country overseas, or participate in some other account in the world’s events of that day?  When an event concludes with happiness amongst a diverse group of individuals the process of restoration has taken a step closer to becoming reality, and when one remembers the relationship that humans have with God Godly restoration resumes its corrective path to all of humanity.

DLB

So, What is Your Core?

So, What Is Your Core?

2/27/12

The human body has a center piece that contains vital organs that allow for the complete function and sustainability of the body.  This core as it is known controls all major functions of the body that is necessary for the human to survive.  Blood flow, blood pressure, oxygen concentration and the continual flow of nutrients throughout the body are all centralized into this continuous pumping mechanism which then brings life to the entire body.  Your core is also the control center of your spiritual being and the major target of spiritual attacks by our enemy.  It is important to know both your inner physical core and your spiritual core.

If you stop and think about the formation of the human body, one will realize that if this core did not exist, all functional life would cease within a few short hours.  Consider the positioning of this core.  Its placement within the body is a nook-like compartment that actually creates its own sustainable pressure by its own movements. It is fascinating to watch this compartment actually working; I have heard stories of surgeons just standing over the open heart watching it beat on its own, with no outside help whatsoever and many of these same surgeons after they have completed a major surgery actually wait to see the heart begin its beat on its own before giving the heart a boost with an electrical shock.

If this core were located in any other place within the body, the body as we know it could not sustain life.  For instance, if the core were located in the thigh muscle all of our blood would be located in our legs and pool there due to gravitational forces.  If our core were located in the human head, then the pressure would literally explode our brains and death would be immediate.  Instead it is located in a sort of, kind of rectangle shaped pouch located in the upper center of our bodies…the perfect creation.  So, if our core is perfectly constructed and correctly located within our bodies then no other place will do for our creator.  Why would Jesus wish to enter a portion that is on the outside, or located on the extremity, or to a position that would be easily compromised?  Those parts could be easily cut off in hard times or sacrificed, when major threats occur to the vital organs.  Being in the center of the body gives Jesus complete access to all functioning areas of the body and can restore broken down areas when in need.

When an enemy attacks something, their goal is always towards the center of the object that they are attacking.  We saw the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and they began in the extremities of the country, but their main goal ended up the center or heartbeat of the nation.  When diseases strike the body, the extremities are usually the first to feel the effects, with the fingers, ears, and toes begin the first casualties.  But in the end, the vital organs are ultimately the targets for the attackers. So, then why would our enemy choose any other spot to attack than our core and since our enemy is spirit then he must strike at our spiritual core.

There are only two spiritual kingdoms that exist, as my uncle would say one is ruled by my Lord God and the other kingdom is ruled by His arch enemy Lucifer.  It is God’s desire that you fully understand the concepts of spiritual warfare and the consequences that it can have on your life, both physically and spiritually.  God gives a great explanation of this war all throughout His word through which He allows our minds to then gather and formulate this information so that a constructive defense can be prepared; then after the defense plans are constructed to form a concise response to these attacks so that God’s kingdom can move forward.

The spiritual core of our life serves as the communication line with God.  Even though there are many ways that God can communicate with us, the spiritual communication is a holy one that we cannot fully explain.  It is a direct line that God speaks to our spirits to relay or convey messages to our lives.  The information that passes from God to man is so sensitive that it is designed for direct one on one sequences only.  In other words, what God says spiritually to me will be totally different to someone else via the same channels.  So you can see the importance of this communication line to our enemy and if he can knock out this line or even hinder the communication process enough, then we are in a vulnerable state and easily targeted for an attack.

Many of us today have forgotten this concept concerning our spiritual cores.  Our lives have become engrained with technology, life in general and the everyday drama that we have “no time” to keep up with everything that is required.  So, we make the cuts that we believe are necessary to maintain our physical lives, which when we choose the physical first the spiritual automatically gets the short end of the deal.  Our physical defenses allow for the physical aspect of our lives only, the physical which by the way is doomed to die one day, is a constant reminder that our efforts to protect the physical is a futile method in the necessary “cuts.”

“Cuts” to our spiritual defenses proves to be more valuable than we can imagine.  Our spirit and its function is the only way that we can effectively communicate with god when times of attack are ongoing.  Yes, we can verbally communicate to Him but it is through the spirit connection that we receive our orders of response.  It is through our spirit that He regenerates our defenses and it is also through our spirit that God feeds us our spiritual daily bread.  If we deliberately cut spiritual spending within our lives our capabilities of a sound defense could suffer to the point of spiritual death.

Once the spiritual cuts have been made in our lives our enemy immediately seizes the moment and provides a vicious attack that is sure to hit its mark.  We recognize this by certain events that occur in our lives that penetrate our spirit with the comparable devastation of a four star commander being killed in action.  When this type of attack occurs it wounds our spirit and also causes our physical defenses to be compromised in a way that our entire motive for functioning as a human being is now being questioned by our own minds and mouths.

God understands that when the spirit is wounded the entire human being is wounded and there is not much that He can do to help in this situation.  It is not until we allow Him to return into our lives in a way that He only can and to restore that spiritual line of communication within us so that we may receive the needed supplies to return to the battle front.  Only when we follow His instructions will be once again know victory in our lives and also realize what is at stake.  There is no use in us fighting a spiritual war if our spiritual hands are purposefully tied by our own doings.  God will not force Himself upon our lives we must choose to accept Him as our commander and the One who is in control of our spiritual core.

What a comfort to have when we know that our spiritual core is protected by the warmth that God gives to us.  What a comfort to know that our spirit is constantly fed by the one person who created us and knows us like no other.  What a comfort to know that this same person is in control of everything that occurs in the universe and that He desires to have a personal relationship with us.  This only happens if we allow Him to guide our efforts on a daily basis and that we continually seek His ways for our lives.

It is also comforting to know and to understand that when we go on our own way God is quick to forgive us and to take us back into His fold.  Yes the restoration plan is a tough one and it will be painful at times but it is reassuring to know that through this process God will protect us until we are able to stand on our own once again.  Let us focus on our spiritual beings instead of placing all our concerns on our physical realm.  Let us restore our spirits instead of our physical cores; don’t get me wrong here it is important to keep our physical aspects in order but we do not need for them to become #1 in our maintenance department.  All He asks is that you turn your life and everything about you over to Him so that He can shape you back into His image.  When God is allowed into the core…He consumes the core and then consumes the remaining parts of the body by way of the flowing system…Let Him be the one to consume you!!

DLB

The Service of Addictions Part I

The Service of Addictions Part I

2/26/12

Addictions are something that occurs in each of our lives and most of the time we do not even realize what they are doing to our lives.  It is important for us to understand the process of this state and to recognize when this process begins.  Many times we are already in “too deep” before we actually agree to believe that we have a problem.  It is at this time that the inner battle begins within our spirit and the fight for freedom rings in a new era in our dominion. 

This message on addictions is going to take me a while to compose.  God has shown me many aspects of this process and it will take time for me to write them down in sentence format.  Addictions have infiltrated our society in various shapes and forms and need to be addressed so that people understand that they are real and that they can be overcome by a Godly restoration process.  Our attitudes towards these addictions is one of mind over matter which almost in evidently proves this theory invalid.  Each step needs to be detailed according to what god has to say concerning this matter along with the importance of your life to Him and His Kingdom.  The first part of this message is going to deal with the enemy and his plan to begin an addiction in our lives.

Addictions can come in any form that we can imagine and if allowed they will consume our beings with full force and end up destroying us as time proceeds.  These are nasty habits that our bodies become accustomed to, and end up dependent upon the effects of the addiction.  Our minds take over this process in two ways.  The first being the thought in which our mind “talks” to us and says everything is ok and that we are not experiencing an addiction and that we are still in control of the situation.  The second method is when our mind ignores the production of certain chemicals in our bodies to make our minds believe that we actually need more of the addiction to function properly.  Another method that we fail to see is that this addiction has caused an infiltration into our spirit and we now have become dependent on something of a physical nature rather than God.

Our enemy cares for one thing and one thing only and that is to destroy our lives as thoroughly as possible on every level that he can think of, that is his job now and he will stop at nothing to complete it.  Satan does not care about you or anything that you have, need, want, or even might want to possess in life, his goal is to separate us from God as far as possible and to destroy your potential for God’s Kingdom.  That point is a major theme to my messages and it will not be in any less stressed in this message and the subsequent messages on this topic.  Always, always remember that concept about our enemy.

It is difficult for us to keep in our forefront thinking that our enemy can intertwine these potential events as we walk along our daily paths.  It is also difficult for us to routinely examine our lives close enough to recognize a potential target for our enemy and to close this weakness before the attack begins.  As stated in one of my earlier messages, this is part of the besieging process that takes place before the attack begins, reconnaissance if you prefer to use that term.  It is important for Satan to do his homework so to speak since he has a limited amount of time to accomplish his goals in our lives before the truth is recognized.  So he must strategically deepen his attack enough to penetrate that certain area of our inner core enough to have a long term and lasting consequence on our lives.  It may sound a little far fetched at what I am portraying here, and many people who do not completely understand the goals of our enemy might agree with that statement but the ones who do understand know perfectly well that what I am saying is correct and to what extent that it poses on our individual worlds.

Satan knows that our human lives are on a limited basis here on earth and that while we are alive on this earth our potential to accomplish God’s work could be detrimental to his kingdom.  Some time back in history Satan was thrown out of his position in heaven by his own choice.  He was not alone in this decision for he took one third of the angels with him when this occurred.  Lucifer as he was known then main job was head of the music department in heaven.  Ever wonder why music is so important in worship services?  Ever wonder why music is so important in our lives?  Ever wonder why many of the indifferences within churches stem from the music aspect of the service?  Our enemy knows his music and what it does to the spirit.

So, God gave the music department to Lucifer, ok we can accept that but we also have to remember that God did not take that talent away from Satan when he fell.  He still has that capability of the creation of music and he still uses it today.  However, let us think about something for a minute, how many times throughout history have we read about kings, priests, every day Joes who have fallen out of grace with their superiors and then take action against their superior’s heirs in acts of revenge.  This concept is the exact concept that Satan has towards us and God.  We are God’s ultimate creation and a direct insult to Satan himself, so why wouldn’t we be the natural target of his “revenge” towards God.

Since I am a medical person by trade my example that I am going to use is medications, I am not going to specify a certain medication but use them in a general sense.  Even though I am using one example in this message, please remember that addictions can form with anything that we can imagine.  I have seen over the years many people that come into the hospital setting that are addicted to drugs.  I have seen the all of the effects that an addiction to drugs has on a person’s life and I must include their families in this assessment.  It tears a person to pieces in every way imaginable but when they begin to appear in the Emergency Department their status as a functional human being has been totally wiped out.  What many people do not realize is that this process also wipes out their spiritual lives in the same manner and has a longer lasting effect on the person.

Sometime during our daily life there occurs an event that seems to be just a passing moment in which we do not pay much attention to or deem important enough to concern ourselves.  The transition of a passing moment into a habitual pattern is something that we seldom recognize in time to stop.  Some of these patterns we may never recognize but we must remember that others will and could change their course of their own personal history according to what you have portrayed.  This line of passage varies within each life and as the saying goes, once that line is crossed things will never be the same again in that person’s life.  Satan knows of this line of passage and focuses on this as one of his goals in our lives.

We now know our enemy and what his objectives are going to be for this series of messages.  Realize that I am only going to deal with one aspect of his objectives and that there are thousands more like this one that can be used against us.  Also know that God loves us and desires to protect us in every way possible but in order for Him to accomplish this feat we must have a heart of repentance and be willing to restore our lives back to its rightful place.

DLB

Lukewarm

Lukewarm

2/23/12

We have heard this word and the accompanying phrases used many times in our lives.  Most of us immediately think of the Biblical sense when we hear this word but I know that some of us have heard it coming from some type of relationship setting, and even if we have not directly heard it then we have become isolated within ourselves and refuse to recognize our ways.  This is the major issue that we as humans continue to ignore and fail to address, so God has placed this message in my heart to give to you and for you to understand exactly where our society is standing.

I remember the months following 9/11 and all of the media questions and interviews that were produced all over the world.  Everyone from a schoolboy to the most advanced academic was interviewed during this period of time.  Thousands of questions, diagrams, reasons, stories, tributes, remembrances, etc were broadcast over the airwaves.  No type of media was left out in airing these messages.  The eyewitness accounts were numerous and horrific in specificity but none greater than one single interview given on one of the major media channels.

At the same time I was hearing all of the questions of why God allowed this to occur, forgive us oh God, I cannot believe God would allow something like this to happen, and we need to get back on our knees, etc, etc being broadcast on most of the same media channels.  It seemed like the fear and groaning of the church people was beginning to sound and unite together to respond to this action.  The eyewitness accounts were numerous and horrific in specificity but none greater than one single interview given on one of the major media channels.  And if you are wondering yes, I meant to repeat that last sentence.

The interview I am referring to was from a representative of a large civil rights group.  Many questions were asked of this person, all of them having to do with the so called violations of liberties due to this attack on our country, but as the interview was drawing to a close the reporter asked one final question.  The question asked went something like this…how does your group respond to all of the cries from the public for God to help us out during this time of need?  The response of this person went something like this…We will allow these people to say what they wish for a certain period of time and then we deem that time is over we will once again pursue to remove God from all activity of the land.

Now, this message is not directed at the person that gave this interview, but it is directed to all of us who fall into the category of not doing anything to restore our relationship with God.  It does not matter if it is on a personal level or on a “national” level God’s message is still the same for all people.  First and foremost God wants you to know that He loves you and will do everything in His power to protect His children, but He cannot protect those who do not obey Him.  It is not that He does not want to help us and to protect us, but he cannot do these things because of the decisions that we continue to make regarding our ways.  So please keep that in mind while reading this remainder of this message.

Most of us human do not like to rock the boat, kind of stay in the crowd so to speak and try and go with the flow.  This action is a normal one and an easy one to accept in our lives.  However, a long term practice of this philosophy will produce a level of complacency in our motives that will soon find it governing our thinking and our ways.  When this occurs we begin to compromise more than we actually need to and then allow our internal security systems be breached to our enemies.  This is why the statement “you demand My absence from your daily lives but pray for My protection in time of need” defines God’s truth about the state of conditions that rule our means and ways.

The solution to this definition of our lives is very, very simple.  We must stop following ourselves and believing in the wants of man and turn back towards God.  That is all we must do to begin the restoration process that God so desperately wishes to bestow upon us.  This one step method will automatically get God’s attention and His ears will perk up when he notices this change because it tells Him that His children realize that they are on the wrong path.  It also tells Him that our hearts are not so hard that we still want His guidance in our lives and it also allows His Kingdom to be advance in our restoration.

God’s message is also simple in this statement “you are either for me or against me.”  This is clear and precise to what God desires from all of us.  I will be the first to say that I have not always been faithful to God as I should and I also will be the first one to stop and to examine my life so that I might know what impurities that needs to be removed from my life.  For all of you that are riding the fence, the lukewarm ones, God has a message for you.  He says that He will eventually destroy that fence that you are sitting on and then you will have to make that decision after the dust settles.

The next step proves difficult for some of us humans to complete and that is to give up our impurities to God.  When we realize that we have these hidden within our lives we become ashamed of them and that is not a bad thing to recognize.  What makes it hard is the fact that we want to cover them up and hide them from God so that he does not see them.  Only one slight and minor detail, He knows that they are there, since he is the one that allowed you to find them in the first place.  Giving them to God is a life changing experience and one that your spirit will enjoy its absence once they are gone. 

The above information is all that God has for you concerning this message.  Most of my messages are longer but God wants it just as short and easy as the way for us to get His attention. 

DLB

Is Your Foundation Flawed?

Is Your Foundation Flawed

 2/14/12

Anything that has ever been built has had a base that defines the object that sits on top of it.  It is a guarantee that the object on the foundation will be subjected to many trials over its existence and will need to have a firm base that provides stability during these perilous times of trouble. This concept of having a solid foundation applies in the human as well and as you take a closer look at the life of the human the foundation really does serve as the beginning point as we know it.  The building of the human foundation determines many aspects of the human and can honestly make or break that human down the road.  It is important to understand that a foundation built on God is the only true security that we have in knowing that when things go awry that the ground that we are standing on will support us.

The simple definition of a foundation is the lowest load-bearing part of a building.  To many people a foundation is just a carved out wood frame dug into the ground and then concrete poured into it and after it dries it is called a foundation.  For many years I too found myself believing in this concept, until I began to watch how some foundations of buildings and houses were being constructed.  The foundation constructing process caught my attention somewhat and I soon realized that a foundation is more complicated than what it would seem.  I had a great opportunity to learn how a foundation was constructed when I was in Cleveland, Texas but with me being a teenager and more interested in other things, I blew that chance and thought nothing more about the subject.

I am not going into the technical details of the construction of a foundation but I am going to give you a bit of background on the process.  A foundation must be constructed one step at a time beginning with the soil.  Some foundations need to be dug into the soil and others, depending upon the type of soil can basically rest on top of the ground.  The outline of the foundation is then measured and built, reinforcement steel and other wires are placed into the foundation in strategic spots so that expansion of the concrete, when it is poured, does not occur.  Other inner support columns are dug and constructed at other points to spread the strength of the foundation to its outer points to make sure the weight of the building is located there instead of another area.  I know that this is a gross explanation to what actually occurs when building a foundation, but it gives you an idea of just how much detailed work is done to make sure the foundation of a building can withstand all stresses in the future.

Since my knowledge of building foundations is vast J  I asked my dad about some of the materials that are used in foundations.  He quickly gave me a list of “ingredients” for a foundations and I quickly scribbled them down.  He stressed to me that the person in charge of the project could have all the correct “ingredients” but not use them in the appropriate manner and the entire foundation be useless before it even began to take its shape.  So, it sounded like to me that a person who is charge of the foundation, better know what they are doing or major problems will occur soon after the project begins.

The foundation requires a confirmed amount of space which requires a very thought out planning process.  The foundation cannot just be a flat square that has no direct measurements, in other words a foundation cannot be wider than the intended building; it serves as a waste and will not provide the adequate amount of stability when nature throws its obstacles its way.  We all know what will happen if the foundation is smaller than the size of the building, so that leaves the foundation being the same size of the building which means no shoot from the hip tactics are allowed in this area of construction.  In my conversation with my dad he stated that the foundation may look ok in the beginning but will eventually crumble when weight is applied or in other words, when it is tested.

I know all of us like to heed advice from our friends or from the local expert but is that a safe thing to engage ourselves in when something so important to us is being constructed.  Friends always have the “best ideas” and other professional contractors have their opinions as well, but it is the one person who is in charge of our project that bears the responsibility of completing our house to its perfection.  That one person who is charge of the house is you. 

Let me bring this foundation message into a bit more of a personal level.  I know that everyone does not grow up in the best of situations and that our foundations that we construct can be done sloppily, hurriedly, or even haphazardly.  Then there are those of us who have had a foundation structured on Biblical principles or in a solid home that prepared us for a proper future.  However, all of us have one thing in common, we are human and eventually we are going to do things our way and then take over the foundation project ourselves.  We have stood by and watched the foundation process and believe that we know how to complete the job.  So we fire the professional and continue on with the project alone. 

A few questions quickly arise and we apply some fixatives to the area and it seems to work, so we continue on until we look at our finished product.  We notice the flaws but say to ourselves it looks pretty good and no one will notice the minor flawed details and when the house goes up then all will be forgotten.  We look towards the sky and comment under our breath about how lovely the weather is today.  The house we live have built is completed now and it looks great!!  The last coat of paint is drying and the last screw is tightened on the shutters around the window.  We step back for a minute and gaze at the “finished” product.  We are proud that we finished the house that can be called “mine” now.  How correct this person is by calling it “mine” for it is a representation of his life.

But what if your house is flawed and the storms arrive, the house begins to leak or it creaks, windows bust out and the ceiling cracks, what happens then?  We get angry at the structure and ignore the fact that it could be the foundation that has caused this catastrophe.  Next we think that the structure has failed somehow, so we call out a person to assess the damage.  That person realizes that the structural damage is due to the foundation and the condition it is in and that major repairs need to be completed soon or the entire house will be rendered non-salvageable. 

Here is where the most important decision is going to be made.  Do we repair our foundation on our own or do we call in a professional to get the job done correctly.  We make the decision to do it alone, for whatever the reason, and proceed to complete the task.  We make the “necessary” repairs and when it is finished we hope that all will stand firm when nature takes its course.  So, the time comes and once again the same conditions occur in our house, but this time more flaws are noticed and the desperation has increased.

Throughout history the house has been represented by a family.  The House of Borgia, The House of Windsor and even the House of David are a few examples.  The house defines your existence in the world and provides a safe haven when times are tough.  A house also is a place where people find refuge when times are tough and we all know that there is no comparison with being in our own house.  All of these houses represent family traditions that have been built on foundations that have ruled nations, had currency based upon their names and even led men and women into battle to rescue loved ones.  All of these families had a foundation that stood the test of time, but in some way their foundational flaws became noticeable and were used against them.  It was those who allowed God to reinforce their foundations with His divine ingredients that provided the adequate strength for you to overcome the forces of nature.

In many ways houses can be compared with our lives.  Both entities need a foundation and a formed structure to make it complete.  Both entities also need to have confidence in their builders so that when the project is complete or even near completion and the tide turns, that both can withstand nature and everything that comes against them.  In the example given above it is clear that if we chose to build or to repair our personal foundations we set ourselves up for some pretty serious conditions when trouble arises.  We see the devastating effects faulty foundations have on our lives every day in our world and these devastations will only continue to increase in their intensity until all flaws will be made public.

The other choice we have is to allow God to be our professional expert in foundation building and repair.  I know it is not a popular decision to allow God to take over our lives but there is no one more qualified to complete this task; since He is the one who made us in the first place with His own ingredients and He knows just which ones to use where.  His work will be meticulous in its nature and He will tell us every step that He will make while completing His work.

God knows exactly what areas to being in, and that is usually at the base of the foundation of our lives.  The work is a bit painful sometimes but He has to make sure that every detail is repaired and set accordingly before He can proceed to the next step.  See, God does not make mistakes when it comes to our lives, we are His pride and joy and it is His desire for us to withstand everything that is thrown our way.  God then interjects His Words of steel and ties them into place so that our new foundation does not move or expand when His concrete is poured into our lives.  He injects his stabilizing concrete into the cracks and spaces left open by the previous methods, filling in every inch of space that could pose complications in the future; and then He waits a while so that the completed layer of foundation can cure and after an appropriate time, the next step begins.

See, God takes His time in building or repairing your foundation.  He is the master carpenter who knows your plans inside and out and knows exactly what you will need to have in your foundation to prepare you for your journey.  He recognizes all of the storms that you will face and all of the trials your structure will have to endure; no one is better suited to complete your foundation.  God will allow us to build our foundation to His satisfaction and He will show us everything that is flawed and show us each finished area that He has completed.  He does not leave us when the tough or hard to reach areas are being repaired, this is where He takes over and fills in the area with His ingredients to strengthen the area.  His process of building our foundation and our house is never complete it is a constant process in which takes our entire lifetime to achieve.

Whether you realize this or not, but you have just been through a restoration process. It is all about turning your live over to God and let Him direct you in all your days.  He does not wish to control you, He wishes to have a relationship with you, to restore you to your rightly place in the world and to set you up on a high plain as an example to others.  What you might not also realize is that while God is repairing your foundation He is also preparing you to withstand an unusual enemy.  This enemy is not of the physical realm, which we are instructed not to fight, but it is of a spiritual manner, a force that opposes your completed Godly foundation.  Remember we fight against a spiritual battle and a spiritual kingdom, not one that reasons with the flesh.  God will prepare your foundation for this spiritual storm and other forces of nature, for it is these forces which press against your house.

Remember that we are human and all of our building ideas for our lives are flawed.  When we construct things by our own knowledge we automatically look at things that only matter to us and not what God wants for our lives.  That is why it is important that He be included in our foundation project so that He can guide its construction since He knows what we need for protection.  Restore yourself by allowing God to reconstruct your foundation.  I know that when I began to let God change and repair my foundation, I began to see things in a different light and I also realized how vulnerable I was to the spiritual storms that were prevailing against my inner man.

 

DLB

Do Not Be Afraid To Use Your Gifts

Do Not Be Afraid To Use Your Gifts

 2/11/12

I know all of us have wondered at some point in our life of why we were ever placed on this planet.  That question is a common theme among many of the people in the world and even though it may not seem like a very viable complaint, it is one that none of us should ever hold truth into the question.  Each of us has a purpose in life and it is our responsibility to enhance the talents that have been given to us to the world.  We as humans cannot totally understand this placement of talent within our lives but we do recognize it and if we do not enable its growth, then God will nudge it into our existence in His own timing and fashion, and once it is introduced into our spirit it must be developed or God will not rest until His gift is manifested as it should even if it changes our entire thinking patterns.

As I have mentioned in past messages, our lives are unique in a way that none of us is 100% alike.  Even identical twins have features about them that are different.  Now I know that there are many of us out there that enjoy sports, sewing, quilting, etc but each of us though we share similar likes, our depth and knowledge of these events differ on many levels.  The same goes with the talents that we share with other people.  This is evident in the way our individual talents are conveyed from within our spirit to the outside world and the way that we physically produce it is what makes things different from anyone else.

A talent is a gift that is given to us that is part of our definition in this world.  Our talents are not our exact defining point in our life but it is a part of us that proclaims to the world that I am alive and that I do have a reason for being here.  That is why it is imperative for all of us to know and to understand just how special we are and what our talents bring to the world.  Talents come in many varieties and are not limited to music, writing, dancing, or even speaking.  A talent of listening to a person tell about their day can be just as effective as a music composer penning an entire symphonic work.  These talents that we carry within our lives are given to us at our conception and will eventually manifest themselves at some point in time.

There are many examples of young kids performing songs with their voices sounding like an aged adult voice, or a high school boy who has composed six symphonies.  It is important for us to remember that God has His own timing for our talents to be developed and when they are to be recognized by you.  These can be known early in life or not until you are well into your adult years.  All of us have a tendency to push God to show us our place in this world and seeing others portray their talents at a young age can be frustrating sometimes.  As an example in my own life, my newly exposed talent came when I was almost 44 years old.

In the development of the statement above concerning my new talent, I have learned on an intimate level that God is in control of all things and that when He wants things known He allows them to be known.  I have always believed that the medical field was my talent and that this area would be fulfilled in a medical mission, the building of a medical facility somewhere, service in a foreign country teaching others about laboratory services and techniques and this may still be a part of my calling, but I now have another talent that God has placed upon my heart.

As you are reading this message you are figuring out what kind of talent God has given me.  Believe me, this was a shock to my system since I had never seriously considered writing anything, unless I had to for some major reason.  When I was in school, all school to be honest, I could not stand to write things.  I despised it and everything it stood for.  According to my philosophy, it was a waste of time and I could care less if my finished product was good or not.  I know the majority of us had those same feelings at one time but up until a few months ago, I held onto those concepts.  Yes, I spent enough time to complete my assignments and projects but I knew then that I could have spent more quality time on them and probably would have received better praise for my efforts.

Now, proof that God does has a sense of humor.  Little did I know that the area of work that I did chose to fall in love with many decades ago would prove to be a breaking ground for my new passion and how much it really would matter in my journey.  Even though I did not consider my profession would provide me with many spiritual concepts to write about I do have to say that the many experiences that I have witnessed over the years will keep me writing for decades alone about the experiences of life that I have encountered.  But God has not stopped there, He is even using birds, people, nature, books and songs to define my new talent and to allow me extend His Kingdom to others through these various topics.

As I have told my parents and a few other people, I would have never thought that God would have chose writing as a talent for my world.  Some of you reading this may say or think that I have a long way to go, and I do, but it is something that God has placed within me that I must get out to others.  I now realize that God allows us to participate in many things in life and through the background of past family stories, nature and other previous and present encounters around me have provided the perfect backdrop for the advancement of God’s Kingdom.  Even though I have began this quest with enthusiasm I am still scared to death about this process and what will be coming from me next.  I do not even know if my writing will be the only thing in my future, it might be, it might be tied to the medical field, all I know is that God is in control of things and He gives me these messages and I accept them and in turn share them with someone who needs them.

Our potential to accomplish great things through our talents is almost limitless.  This is one major reason why Satan does not want us to see our lives as they were created.  It is also a reason why he wishes that our lives never come out of the womb.  Some of the kids of today seem like they want to blend in with others and become one crowd, no individualistic qualities begin displayed.  What a robbery that is taking place in these kids’ lives and they are accepting it like it was their right.  That is why all of us are on the hit list to be destroyed and a major reason that his goal is to delay you from enabling your talents.  And if he can delay you long enough and spread his propaganda in your direction long enough then you probably will give up on your talents all together.  It does not matter who you are or what background you have come from, always believe in the talents that you have been given.  Do not get discouraged if everyone does not agree with you or support your talent, but others will.  A gift from God that goes unused will be subject to ridicule from Satan’s Kingdom; oh, and remember that he will laugh at you while you are sitting there doing nothing.

Now I understand that not everyone will complete this inner talent quest and perform for God.  This is a given and I realize this; however, for those of us with other talents that are using for God…it is our responsibility to make God known to them.  On the other hand, people listening to these groups of people play might just be the spark that is needed to revive or to ignite those who are wondering about their talents.  People are influenced by others in many ways and it must be remembered that God knows the heart better than any created being, so it cannot be rule out that secular settings might just produce the some of the greatest Kingdom movers of God.  What a testimony of restoration if this occurs in people’s lives!!

I believe that there are many changes coming to this world, changes that are going to tax our human abilities in ways not ever experienced before in human history.  What are these changes, I have no idea.  But what I have been reading about within the newspapers and watching current situations around the world, and then add the things that I have been studying in the Bible show that mankind has turned its back on God once again and it will soon be time for God to allow things to occur in our lands.  These messages that God has given me all pertain to restoration.  Some of the messages deal with personal issues, some with church issues and others on a large wider scale, which to me says that God is calling all people to restore ourselves to His Kingdom.  Therefore, I believe that everyone is going to be included in these future events, but definitely the church.

In closing, the message that God wants you to understand is that He is the one that places things into your inner core that defines you.  We may never completely understand why God places them in our lives, but know that there is a specific reason.  Talents are a part of His design and at His given time He will present them to you.  Don’t fight them, embrace them with humility and humbly accept them as a part of your life.  If you have inhibited your known talents, restore them to your fold and allow them to grow into your everyday existence.  If God sees fit to unlock new talents, be open to His guidance and look forward into your new adventure, but whatever the case trust God with all of your might that He has a divine purpose for them.  Develop them and use them to push forward God’s Kingdom because one never knows if the talents that are within you might be needed for some occasion down the road. 

DLB