When Nakedness Was A Holy Status

When Nakedness Was A Holy Status

3/20/22

Being naked before others is one of those times when people feel the most uncomfortable, not many people long to be in this position.  All of us can look at our bodies and find something wrong with it enough to hide it from everyone else, this is human fear.  But there was a time in our existence that this state of being was not a bad thing and no shame or flaw was present.  God created us naked and it had its own representation with God and the relationship we had with Him.  It was a holy creation and one that had no faults, but we chose to override such status, and ever since that drastic change we have been trying our best to cover ourselves and to make our bodies better.  This is a sad state of being, but one that we shall never obtain again, and we must therefore focus our appearances on the spiritual and not the physical.

For many millennia now, humans have done their best to try and be one with nature, seeking out ways to get close to nature, one way that naturists accomplish this is by accepting the concept of being naked as much as possible.  Sex has been one of the most fallacies that human beings have been involved in, and sex has been proven to be the most-lied-about subject that the human mind can manipulate.  Sex deals with the human body and how we feel it should be treated, then the mind takes control and allows such atrocities to flood the human with sinful desires.  See, when we were created, we were created naked and it was a status that was special and holy through the representation of the relationship between God and mankind.  Even today, we are born naked and this process has not changed at all ever since humanity began recording and detailing birth.

For the most part, humans hide their nakedness because of flaws that others might see when exposed, this is also a normal process that humans display but it is one that also has roots in the Bible for when it all boils down we are ashamed of what our bodies look like and we turn to hide them.  I am not an advocate of naturalists at all, for they have their own ideas about being naked which for the greater part wish to be one with nature.  It would not be natural for us to try and cleanse ourselves with clothing on our bodies for the true cleaning part would be hidden from what really needs cleaning thus rendering this process void.  How many times do we have this concept when we try and clean our relationships on our own or by our own ways of believing relationships should grow?  Remember we came from the ground and the ground is cursed and we even return to its content when we die, so this belief is a lie as well.  I am not saying that the people who choose this way are by any means bad people but they do need to understand that their relationship goals are off and need to be redirected.

Our Scripture for this article deals with being naked but not living in the sexual manner as we may seem to think.  A while back, we dealt with the equal relationship status between God, Adam, and Eve in the Garden of Eden.  It was a time of perfect harmony, peace, and truth on an equal plane with God being the covering of course.  This status is what every human seeks to have and so far many of us have chosen to go about searching for this status on our own, or on our own terms a state that shall only prevail in sadness, darkness, and loss.  How many times and different ways have we tried to conceive, grow, nurture, and develop relationships with our own methods, countless if we are honest.  The passage is as follows:

Genesis 2:23-25

"And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.  Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.  And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed."

From a quick glance, it would seem like these verses pertain to the man and woman only, for it talks about what God did to create the woman, what the man perceived he should consider her, where they should live, and the current state of their bodies.  All of this information simply line up with humans with not much about God here, but this is a misconception for if we really look at this passage we see that God is present at the beginning of this passage and at the end as well.  His presence sets into motion the relationship that God wants with every one of His perfect creations and on what type of level too.  As we will see, this is a wonderful passage with a giant ray of hope that we can refer to when our spirits are down due to all of the division and hatred that this world and its ruler bring us each day.

Being naked is a status originated by God and at the same time this status tells us exactly what God expects in a relationship with us, and since this status was originated between God and humans it also means that it serves as the same standard between humans as well.  When Adam and the woman were in the Garden of Eden, their relationship was totally open and honest with God they hid nothing from God and God hid nothing from them either.  A holy standard of equality that is almost unmatched today, no matter if we refer to our relationship with God or with humans.  Our only problem is that we tend to try and hide our secrets from God just like we try hiding them from humans; however, we forget that God is the eternal and pure standard of relationships and already knows what our secrets are, a major issue that defeats our logic right from the beginning.

Satan has done a wonderful job in fooling us into believing that relationships can survive on a superficial basis and do not need to go any further than this condition.  When relationships were established it was God who ordained them with Him being the presence that all relationships are measured.  The passage for this article gives us the picture that all relationships should be based upon, God first and us being totally naked with all parties so that the truth cannot be hidden.  We must understand that the relationship standard that God created in the Garden of Eden was the pinnacle of all relationships, none could be higher.  When Genesis 3 rolls around and mankind accepts sin (disobedience) into our lives that sustained pinnacle was breached and the eternal status began to fall.  There is nothing purer than standing in front of a relational person with nothing to hide or to keep from them, this was the way God created Adam and Eve to be in the Garden of Eden.

Over time, the relationships between God and humanity have suffered and waivered greatly, so much so that it was not too many chapters later in Genesis that God had to repent for even creating humans because of the greatness of their sin.  This type of response by God is a purposeful one established by Satan through his work in our lives of division.  This division process began when Genesis 3 came about and that perfect relationship status was broken, and it was the job of Satan back then and it is still the job of him today to destroy any type of unity between God and humanity.  In no manner was standing in front of God naked promoting any immoral sexual content, it was purely a stance of honesty and holiness on an equal level, a level that we say we all want with God and with others.  It was the job of Satan to make nakedness and sex the front runner of relationships, not God.

When this type of belief is put into forwarding motion and the first step in a relationship it totally destroys the truth about being naked before God.  It is for this reason alone that so many relationships are ending in failure even after so many years of togetherness.  The rates of relationship failure are due to the fact that "me" rules the relationship and is the first and originating physical attraction to a potential relationship.  This is exactly what type of status Satan wants a relationship to operate within for it totally goes against the order of the heart and spirit first which God ordained for us to live within.  We have followed in so many misguided directions when it comes to relationships that it is no wonder that the motto of the day is to stay away from relationships and just get what you can on a one-night stand adventure.  When ruled by this lie, one can misrepresent the truth about themselves and every other category when asked, for there will not be any more nakedness to be shared with the exception of the physical.

We cannot ignore the fact that the experience that Adam and Eve had with the serpent was devastating and it completely changed their lives forever.  Lucifer understands this process quite well for it was the same tactic that he tried to use on God and it cost him his position in Heaven, eternal death, and an eternal name change.  Satan knows that if he can bombard us with bad relationship experiences with continued failure rates, it will be easier for him to drag us away from having an eternal and equal relationship with God and with another human.  Satan does not care anything about you and your relationships with humans, it is a side benefit when these occur because he knows that the more bad experiences you have with humans the less likely you will have any relationship with God.

This nakedness aspect of our lives is the highest emotional tie we have with humans and most importantly with God.  Nakedness, not sex we must keep that order in the correct position for when we don't, the actions of today appear and do further and deeper damage that can lead to certain physical death and eternal death as well.  It is not hard to figure out that sex defines our societies and that there is nothing more exciting and satisfying than this step, but it should not be placed first for when it is it takes away the holy nakedness of our lives with God.  Remember Adam was naked in front of God first before anyone else and so was Eve.  As long as this type of nakedness is not taken to heart in our lives, the more and more sexual indiscretions shall come to destroy our relationships, these percentages will only exponentially increase for that is what occurs when sin and disobedience rule humanity.

In order to have sex, one must disrobe and have at least the reproductive organs exposed or available, but when the relationship order is out of line there cannot be any holy order present before God which means that personal gratification (self) is placed first and therefore allows doors to be open for future discourse or breakage.  God created us naked so that we would understand first the importance of equality and purity before all parties involved in our lives, nothing hidden.  This order has not changed any and nor shall it change any time in the future either.  It does not matter if both parties agree to this type of non-ordained relationship, problems shall arise and they will fester until they become evident and this is the most basic explanation of inequality on the most intimate level known to mankind.  

Satan is the author of variables and disobedience and when Adam and Eve succumbed to sin, we found out that the ordination of eternal order was changed and that our lives did not respond well with this new living condition.  Yet, ever since this order and status change occurred we have done our best to cover up our secrets and lies.  Sadly, it is bad enough that we do this to fellow humans but eternally most of us do not think that we try to hide from God and we utterly end up failing on both instances.  We cannot forget that the only job Satan has is to come and steal, kill, and destroy your life.  He does not care which way this task is completed, all he cares about is that you are destroyed and that when you stand before God you have no eternal and Holy defense to warrant.

From the time God placed Adam in a deep sleep and created woman from his rib, we were meant to be on equal terms and levels, spiritually first and then physically.  It was a perfect combination, God first with man and woman standing in front of him with nothing to hide.  All levels of relationship were holy and pure with no blemishes to speak of, and if there was it did not matter because we were created in perfect relationship status with God.  In this capacity, everyone was supposed to see each other openly in a holy vision, it was not to have sex.  Why do we think so many relationships do south?  It is because we do not begin and then stick with God's standard in relationship status.  We would rather see the other person naked for our own personal gain instead of on a holy level established by God first.

What we do not realize is that when we place the physical nakedness first, we are doing exactly what Adam and Eve did immediately after they sinned, covering themselves.  Our holiness to each other goes out the window and so many other "options" will be thrown at us so that we fall further away from God.  It is an automatic process when we take things out of order, from the way God established things we not only hide from ourselves but we hide from God too.  It is the hiding from God that is the most significant because when we deliberately hide from God there is no way possible for us not to be hidden from each other either, nor will there be any hope of changing such living conditions in our lives either.

Well, Church, what do you have to say about this one?  The only thing we can say is that we did not learn this truth while reading the Word of God and because we have not learned this we have destroyed so many lives due to a failed policy of acceptance and love toward those who have been hurt.  Oh, we have taken the physical aspect of sex and have turned it into a whipping post and have damaged so many people that are already hurting and inflicted more pain upon their lives.  We have done nothing to teach them that there is a way of redemption and restoration by once again realigning their hearts back to God so that they can have the opportunity to know true love, not only in the physical form but in the holiness and spiritual form with God.  No, we are too busy proclaiming the world's perversions as acceptable and humanly pardoning folks, promoting sin, and publicly defiling God with no remorse whatsoever.

It is an atrocity to think that we are promoting sin to the world instead of promoting God and His Ordained Ways to those who are lost.  Furthermore, it is utter defamation of God that we do not understand or have taken the time to understand exactly what God's Word says concerning this matter.  It is hard to say this but we are even promoting sexual predators to become involved in the church thus exploiting people to sex trafficking practices as well.  It is time we get back into the Bible and ask for forgiveness for we have been partaking in a sin ritual of the ugliest proportions.  Repent, Church for our shaking is soon to come and unless you want to be shaken from your eternal existence, you better repent now!  We will once again stand before God naked and what will your body say to the Most High God, the One who Created you?

DLB

Destruction

Desolation

 

3/15/22

Modern times have approached the concept of destruction on an obtainable goal that only other humans can complete.  Hollywood and all of its minions have projected such directives so well organized that this subject has been rationalized into a personal development on a personal scale.  One that can be managed with a light switch mentality and carried out as quickly as possible and a rapid recovery to complete the set in one shift or less.  This is exactly what our enemy wants us to believe about destruction or any other type of devastation, but that belief is a lie and if not changed will be shattered in a blink of an eye.  It is time we look at the devastation on God's level and terms and the real reason it appears in our lives, for human destruction is one of revenge or power gain for God it is the start of restoration.

On a personal level, what do we know about devastation or desolation?  What is the most sensitive issue that we can think of when this question is posed to us?  Have any of you been in a severe storm such as a tornado or hurricane?  What about another natural disaster called an earthquake?  Almost all of us have read about or watched some type of devastation occur or the immediate after-effects of such productions, but even a World War cannot be compared to an entire global setting of destruction that affects and touch every family on the planet.  Also, when one takes the time to sit down and study the conditions of the origins of these human events at least, you will find that complete division is present between the people which led to such failed leadership.

We sit and watch far away places that are going through detailed wars, conflicts, and countless other social atrocities and wonder how things can come to such pinnacles of anger and riveted animosity, not figuring that these specific conflicts could ever invade our land and take over the dominate news stories of our day.  But as many great leaders have stated in the past, it does not take very long for the dominoes of freedom to fall, and once that fall begins it is almost impossible to stop until all dominoes have been touched by the previous domino.  We have a tendency to forget that it requires so much effort of every person in a free society to keep the freedom that has been granted and if these people forget the origins of such freedom then there is no foundation available to stand upon when these horrid times approach and begin their quest for dominance.

I heard the other day some people talking about how this nation has fallen to an extent never known before and that our fall has just begun, at the same time.  And what the other person said was that the majority of people walking around have no clue that this process has begun and that the patterns and trends of the recent past project the level at which we are falling.  Sadly, we do not understand that we are riding the ground down the side of a mountain, like an avalanche.  Our only problem is that we are approaching a cliff and we have not prepared any true measures in trying to stop such a slide and eventually over the cliff condition.  We are still in the notion that we shall overcome such a process and build back our lives again according to the selfish rules of events in 2001 and 2008.  God has had enough of our snobbish attitudes toward His Word and His Ways, so it is time we see what He has to say about such conditions.

We also have a tendency to forget that what occurred in the Bible was at the consideration of their modern times.  Bows and towers were their modern weapons with tanks, drones, and nuclear weapons being ours.  God did not forget this type of setting when He allowed destruction to happen to Judah and Israel and I guarantee that if He allowed such activities to occur in His chosen people, He will do the same for this group of sinners too.  Our Scriptures for this article are as follows:

Matthew 12:25-26

"And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand."

John 10:30

"I and my Father are one."

What is the typical response to a natural disaster in our lives or when someone else is responsible for some sort of destruction to our lives?  If this kind of setting has not occurred to you count your blessings for many of us in this country and around the world have experienced such tragedies.  The most common responses to such events are ones of anger, justice, and side revenge all of which only fuel tensions between all parties involved.  When humans take matters into their own hands nothing good shall come as a result of such talk and action, the hurt deepens, and the more likely of scarred wounds remaining open for decades or even centuries to come to appear.

There is no question that many actions from humans are deliberate and should be punished from the highest pinnacle of the law but we sometimes do not understand when the limitations tend to fend off what really should be the result.  Therefore, further revenge efforts are then administered, and quickly the situation is out of control with many more wounds opened, the human reaction can be violently spectacular at times.  Knowledge of such settings is usually funded and reported by those in agreement with the ones that believe a wrong has been done and not enough "judgment or justice" has been done.  In other instances, it does not matter what the outcome would be, violence is the only answer in a selfish manner.

Do we realize that we see many acts of God in this manner?  Most do not wish to try and understand the reasons why God must allow certain things to occur, and once again we find that human emotions rule the day.  While many would suppose that the concepts of God's judgment and human judgment are the same, this is entirely incorrect.  We find this truth in the verses used for this article because it intensifies and highlights the major difference between the two, unity versus disunity.  When humans become entangled with one another, there are sides that look at issues from their point of view alone with hardly any consideration of other parties' opinions.  Wait a minute, isn't this the same type of fixture when God makes such claims?  Yes, but there is a huge divide here, one that cannot be ignored and left out.

When humans take sides, they do so with as much biased opinion as they can muster, their positioning comes with human interests first, and with sided views at best.  Personal vendettas are carried out with vengeful carriages carrying off the other sides' loved ones in a box if necessary.  Since the same attitude and outlook is represented on the other side of the issue, it is likely that the human response to one tragedy will upstage the first or previous one, and then the escalation process begins, a scene that will become a culture or turf war if not settled down within a short period of time.  What good comes out of these types of devastating contests?  Not much, only deeper and longer-lasting anger and divisions between the sides involved; the point is this, nothing becomes better only uglier circumstances abound with these marked divisions ripe for continued insults.

On the other hand, Jesus makes it clear that it is common knowledge that any human-controlled organization that does not have complete unity shall stumble and eventually fall so hard that no true identity will remain of said unity.  Jesus also states that the fall shall include every kingdom that is in such a state against itself to desolation.  This word desolation in the English dictionary means a place that is deserted of people and in a state of bleak and dismal emptiness, depressingly empty or bare.  This translation does the Greek word "eremoutai" somewhat well because the Greek meaning for this word is will be laid waste, totally destroyed, nothing left.  Furthermore and more direct, Jesus is making a statement here which His words state a fact and not an "if", for when kingdoms stand divided in any way between them, they shall crumble and fall completely beyond recognition.

Jesus goes on to say that cities and houses divided shall not stand either, this personalizes His remarks and should serve as a warning about what the hearts of others are capable of completing.  If something does not stand it means that everything and everyone within that structure is at risk of either total destruction or death.  The word "city" that is used here is the Greek word "polis" which means the city, the inhabitants of a city, a town.  This is an all-inclusive word and nothing or no one is left out of its definition, a remarkable statement from Jesus and it corresponds with the word "house" that is used in this verse as well.  It is the Greek word "oikia" which means residence, an abode, a family, it fascinates me how Jesus' own words on earth complete Him and do not contradict each other.

One can argue the point that in history that one would find some groups that fit together and have stuck with each other throughout time, this may be the case but they are very few and far between.  When I was taking German in college, my professor asked us how long do you think Germany has been unified?  Some said a long time while many said not very long at all.  Not long at all was the correct answer but when she narrowed this timeline down even tighter, it was found out that a united Germany has only been united as one nation since 1990 and has not varied since that time.  However, even today in this unified state, there are some issues that do not sit well with certain German states and a few tensions have risen up in defiance of such accord.  It is very difficult to get humans to agree on all points, which makes it virtually impossible for any human house, city, state, or nation to last very long.

Never fear, Jesus has the answer!  In our second passage, we find that Jesus makes a remarkable statement about Him and His Father.  It is a wonderful statement of comfort to us today but when Jesus walked the earth this phrase of His shook many religious leaders for it says that He and His Father are One.  We have discussed this verse before when we were describing the only time that this nation has been unified on an election, the very first one and after that vote, there has never been another one.  Jesus made this statement while He was on earth, which means that it was not just at that moment that He and God the Father were united, but it was always like this before human time began and shall always be present after the earth has passed away.  Now, we know God has never lied, we also know that He has never changed, so what evidence do we have that He will do so at any other time in the future?

The word "one" used by Jesus is the Greek word "hen" which means one, a primary numeral.  It means that there are no two, three, or more involved but only one.  Jesus did not give any other variables at all or referred to any other types of scenarios of wavering or fluctuations on this status.  This phrase and statement are meant to be intact for eternity, from eternity, and never have any division whatsoever.  This statement overrides all human anticipations of unity as we can understand and it gives God the ultimate authority to rule and lead over every Creation.  It means that what God says and proclaims is eternally true and cannot be changed or altered by Him, AND it means that when we live under Him that we shall never know true devastation without hope and understand why desolation comes.

You notice that both of these passages have one thing in common, it is an either/or situation, there is no in-between or any type of measured compromise present.  What type of compromise would there be by its definition alone?  Our compromise is humans that alter God, His Son, and Holy Spirit.  We alter it so they fit into our selfish security cabinet, take them out when we need them put them on display and then put them back into the cabinet when the condition or circumstance disappears.  THIS action of ours is the definition of division, separation, and failing.  It is these acts of ours that cause our churches, our nations, our cities, and ourselves to witness desolation, destruction, and devastation.  No compromise or alterations from God means that He is the only source of complete and whole safety and a solid foundation that will not slip from under us and the only Way to peace and eternal life.

Church, why have we dropped this truth from our lives?  We no longer strive to live a godly life and to share the Gospel with others, even when we know that people need God and His Son.  Why do we choose to ignore the lost by just sending a check to some organization that we have no connection to, and why do we walk away from those in our neighborhoods that do not care about what is ongoing within the heart of this nation?  How can we sit by and accept those who are living in public sin as normal and do not reach out to them to show them that they have been lied to by this world and that they need God?  Why have we forsaken the mission of the Gospel and picked up and adopted the mission of the world?  We preach a message of division and not of one that brings us back to the true unity of our existence, for we should know that no human being can be unified with anyone else unless they are back in unity with God first.

DLB

Nothing Can Stop His Word

Nothing Can Stop His Word

3/10/22

Many of us have a tendency to forget just how powerful God is and what He can do to our lives and in our lives.  There are also countless examples of ministers and other church leaders getting caught up in the lie that God is not around and is not present in times of need, their need.  This is an eternally deadly mistake made by many folks, certainly by those who have no idea who God is and what His Word actually says and does.  God is a living and breathing Being that our minds cannot fully comprehend but we do know that what He says He shall do no matter which side of His statement you are located.  God is not here to shake you down with every communication He has with you, but if you do not heed His words then there will be a time that changes need to be made.  This scenario too is not well received by some but when God speaks of such a situation know that His Word shall not return void on any level.

As current events seem to spiral out of control, so many people around this nation and the world do not see how bad our nation's response to these events is nor are they aware of what is about to occur either.  It is obvious that our eyes and ears are definitely on another target, one that is so close in front of us that it is not required for us to look up and see what is around us.  It is this type of living that we have adopted and desire to have at all times, such a self-centered and self-decaying existence.  We have become so used to a society such as this that we no longer care to do what is right, only what we want, and hopefully, somewhere along with this societal planning scheme of ours we will have our 20 seconds of fame then sell it for a fee.  It is frightening to think that anyone would thrive in such a governing living space but it is true our reality succumbs to the world's ridiculous state of being without any regard for true authority around us and the defense of such beliefs can be deadly if questioned.

It should not come as a surprise to know that the Church has fallen into this category and as a result, she has no true direction in the mission that we have from Christ.  It has become common practice that church denominations change their belief system as fast as the Pharisees and scribes wrote new laws; as they came across situations, they wrote what served them.  Even in the Old Testament, religious leaders took advantage of such beliefs and stretched them for their own personal gain, a practice so common that it had generational ties within its confines.  Also, it gave reference to the people in such a manner that they acted as their priests did, which is a way of truth given in the Old Testament, one that should have been detected early and irradicated before it grew heart roots.  After everything is said and done, will we be able to stand and say or finish what God has told us to say to those who need Him or will we fall and succumb to the humiliation that the world dishes out?

We find one of these examples in the Old Testament, it is not too hard to locate for the Old Testament is filled with these types of authority issues and how much power the religious rulers believed they wielded.  Our passage comes from the Book of Jeremiah and it tells of one of the times God's prophet was treated terribly by the religious leaders for telling the truth. It is a single verse but once again God's Word is filled with rich information that will help us to not fall into a long sinful trap of selfishness.  Our passage is as follows:

Jeremiah 20:4

"For thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will make thee a terror to thyself, and to all thy friends: and they shall fall by the sword of their enemies, and thine eyes shall behold it: and I will give Judah into the hands of the King of Babylon, and he shall carry them captive into Babylon, and shall slay them with the sword."

Never once in the entire Word of God did He, His Son, or Holy Spirit say that things for those who follow will have things easy.  All who have stated things that go against the world's view or what people believe will be subject to a multitude of adversaries and malicious settings, it is a guarantee.  Our passage deals with one of the times that Jeremiah has been placed into confinement after he was beaten, just for saying what God directed him to say.  What was said did not sit well with the religious leaders of Judah and hence the reason for Jeremiah's current condition.  Once again we find that the religious leaders had become so worldly-wise and accepting that they failed to recognize what God was actually telling them and warning them about.

However, because Jeremiah had been beaten and placed into stocks did not stop him from completing what God had told him to say to Judah's leaders.  We find Jeremiah out of the stocks and in this verse he immediately continues his mission, Jeremiah never backed down even though he was beaten and locked up.  God had a warning for His people and it was the job of Jeremiah to hand the message to them no matter the cost.  People who were put into stocks were placed in a very uncomfortable position, there was nothing easy or restful about it.  Plus, they would conduct such punishment in a very public place in order that anyone who disagreed with the prisoner could basically do whatever they wished to them.  It was common to have the prisoner in worse shape after their time in the stocks than they were before they were put there.

First off after the release from the stocks, Jeremiah continued with the personal message to Magormissabib, and how God was so displeased with his actions of leadership that He was going to make his life so miserable and tense that he would serve as a terror unto himself and nothing good would be in his future.  Along the same lines, remember God is a complete God, Magormissabib's friends would suffer the same fate as he but would fall before Magormissabib because God stated that he would watch them fall by the sword.  This means that Magormissabib listened to his friends and that his friends were part of the allowance of sin within the heart of Judah, this is why God repeats HImself many times throughout His Word to be careful of who you seek out as friends.  

The word "terror" here is from the Hebrew word "lemagowr" which means fear, terror.  One cannot misinterpret this definition for it is clear and precise and it comes from the masculine noun "magor or magur".  This is a powerful word and would have been easily recognized by Magormissabib.  What makes it so devastating is that it describes a person or place that is surrounded by fear and terror, it has become its own servant to the self-destruction process.  It does not just incarcerate from the outside or surrounding areas, but it also confines itself within your spirit and destroys your inner peace, and replaces it with turmoil and fear.  This is a price that one can hardly imagine and one that would be impossible to bear and survive holding.  Even the very presence of your body brings fear and installs pain, agony, and terror not only to yourself but to others around you.  This is what God changed Pashur's name to and it is what he represented from that moment onward.

The last portion of Jeremiah's word from God stated that because Judah had not repented and continued to live in sin that they would fall and then be taken captive and through this act would be totally destroyed.  God did not leave out any detail for He told Magormissabib who would be the enemy that destroyed them and their land.  Jeremiah did not hesitate in delivering this message from God, even in the dire circumstances that other men placed upon him for when a Word comes from God to be delivered to specific people or to be delivered in a specific manner it must be completed for if the messenger does not do their job then everyone involved is subject to the message.

This word of the Lord is pretty direct and gruesome but it has another meaning as well and it has to do with the sovereignty of God and the authority of His actual Word.  It should not be uncommon for the Church to understand exactly what is said here and why it is said, but we have fallen into the same category as Judah did when this Word was given to them so many probably miss its meaning of authority.  The leaders of Judah preached the sovereignty of God but used it as a weapon to hold over the heads of the people which turned their hearts away from God.  Then, Satan began to introduce his own ways into their lives and after a while, all had joined in the worldly festivities that could be absorbed, with the religious leaders at the front of the line in leadership.  Judah embraced this worship so much that they failed to see that what they were worshipping was offensive to God, and they did not care either.

Many times people forget that God will speak His Will through other people and when these words are spoken we tend to react in the same manner as Magormissabib did.  WE reject them since they are coming from someone who does not know the area, or the people or seems out of touch with what the leaders are portraying in the land.  It is not unusual for God to speak towards one person or a group of people but it is an extraordinary time when God refers to the entire nation immediately after He changes a priest's name.  It is even more radical to have your name changed to the exact type of judgment that God is about to allow to come upon your home and that your name reflects the attitude of your entire nation.

The overall point that Jeremiah made those few days was that God had a message, both to an individual and to a nation.  Both Words from God had deep and specific meanings along with warnings that were sure to follow.  Notice God did not set a time of when these things were going to begin, occur, and end but the only thing He said was that they would come to pass.  Jeremiah's job was one of warning and comfort; comfort, really?  Yes, for God always says what He is going to do and He allows for time to change our hearts, just as He did in this passage.  However, Judah did not change their hearts only dug them deeper into their idols and sin.  Whatever the time-sensitive materials proved, it was spoken by God and therefore could not be rescinded.  These things were made by a Holy and complete God, one who cannot lie or detract from the truth.  This is why God can make such statements and not be incorrect, for mankind shall always prove Him correct.  It is this part of God that we tend to forget about and blow His Words off.

Our goal should be to NOT get to this point in God's heart.  We need to recognize our mistakes and sins before God has to give us a warning from those who are listening to what He is saying.  When we do not accept God's Words for our lives it proves that we have been fooled enough not to even consider what is being said and why God is saying such things.  Ever since the Garden of Eden, God has been giving humans warnings about what not to do and the reasons why, how come it is still so difficult for us to get this pattern?  Look at our nation and world societies today, we have become terrors to ourselves and it is so blatantly obvious but we are blind to it.  We have rendered ourselves useless for the plan that we were created for yet we revel in our sins and call it a day anxiously awaiting another round of new worldly adventures tomorrow.

One of the most devastating lies that we have fallen for is what Judah allowed to happen to them in this passage.  Both the religious side of life and the secular side of life began to merge into one conglomeration needing the support of the other in order to survive.  When this type of atmosphere occurs compromise is the only pattern that will prevail and it is a guarantee that it will not be a righteous atmosphere to emerge dominant.  We see this type of pattern all throughout the Bible, in the New Testament Church as well and if those folks cannot keep the true faith intact there is no way that we stand a chance.  Look at the Church today, she has meshed herself within the boundaries of the world and it is painfully obvious that she has given all her authority to the world.

We no longer have any spiritual teeth to fend off any tactics of Satan, nor do we have any spiritual energy and any spiritual mindset to recognize or to hear spiritual instructions from God on how to defend ourselves.  It is for this attitude and action that God began to issue warnings and prophetic messages to this nation a few decades ago.  God saw the pattern that we had chosen to follow and He knows that we have not strayed from those horrid decisions.  It is for this reason that God has continued these messages right up until today, for He wants His children to understand that they need to repent.  Also, just as in the passage for this article, God has spoken words against this nation and He has not reversed His direction at any time either; in fact, some prophets have renounced their calling since things did not play out in the specific timeframe they believed it should.  Weak, weak, weak without any spiritual gumption to make the effort to seek God further for answers.

Once again we have fallen for the big lie, and it is about time that God allows such devastation to be heaped upon our land and lives.  It is obvious that our focus has been on the incorrect pattern and purpose for which the Church and this nation were established.  God has spoken and all He wants is for us to repent and to be ready for this dreadful day.  God suggests you prepare your lives for a change of unimaginable proportions, this includes spiritual levels as well.  Hold tight to His Word, which means get into His Word for if you do not then you shall have no idea what to hold on to when this time arrives.  This Word from God back in Jeremiah and the one that you have just read is no longer a suggestion - it never has been - but serves as a warning for what is to come.  Has our spiritual national name been changed?  You bet it has and we shall soon find out exactly what it is too.

DLB

Credibility

Credibility

2/25/21

All of us like to make statements in a certain direction and have them come to pass without any type of contingencies applied.  To make our word as valuable as gold or an old-fashioned handshake is what we desire the most with others, but we must be careful about how we approach such promises for when we make them we may not realize that attachments may come back to haunt us.  Of course, we would like all things to be smoothly completed but many times that is not the case which is imperative for us to know who we are dealing with on this level, because these promises may have to be called into practice at some point where decisions that were not thought about are enabled that can cause great grief.  God wants us to always be careful in who we make earthly promises to so that we will not have to back out of things or follow through with things that may seriously harm our reputation.  Choose wisely who you make agreements with and always rely on good counsel (God) to achieve your best.

How many times have we made promises to others in order to please ourselves in some specific or selfish manner?  It is a common trait of humans to promise the moon and approach this promise with a whole heart but in the end, regret that we even entertained the idea in the first place.  Most of the time the old adage our eyes are bigger than our stomachs comes into play on all sorts of levels and when the truth is told we would have taken a different approach to said promises.  Or, we find out at a later time that what we believed would be taking place changes and what we are involved in is controversial or even goes against our own personal morals, another fork in the road and a possible turning point that now questions our credibility and trustworthiness to complete the task at hand.

Who do you line up your credibility with, big corporations and popular ideas or sound transactions that will guarantee your success in the future?  The standard in this nation is to do what one can do without losing your shirt, no matter what occurs to the other parties involved.  This greed and lust of ours has grown over the past few centuries and it has become a major player in how we do business and entertain clients, it does not matter which venture one wants to encounter either for our hearts have become numb to the truth and associations with others do not matter much.  But is this new way of doing things good for our lives and will it always be safe that no major controversy will arise and demand your complete attention and completion?  We all know that when we deal with humans and make deals with them, they can give only general conditions at the start but provide damning details after the agreement has been reached.

We have been taught not to seek refuge with those who will do bad things in order to make a name for themselves or to gain control of certain things of a physical nature.  Mobs, gangsters, secret societies, clubs, or underground organizations are a few examples of shady groupings that usually are not in the upstanding categories of life.  However, with all the money, prestige, and security that they offer, it is hard for people to pass then become totally indoctrinated into these societies and are sucked into the everyday lifestyle of joined brotherhoods.  Many times the end results for these people are long prison sentences or even their own deaths and in both cases, a good portion of these folks wish they had never been associated with those organizations; but, too late the deals were made and done with consequences to be interviewed on a personal level.

The Bible gives us a good example of such a serious condition after a lustful and seducing party bribe occurred and it happens in the New Testament where Herod is involved.  It is a story of lust, sex, immoral acts, and truth bearers placed into prison, then murdered.  It is a familiar story but one that is relevant today because with the way businesses and government heads do their ploying this type of activity abounds.  The passage for this article is as follows:

Matthew 14: 6-11

"But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.  Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask.  And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger.  And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath's sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given to her.  And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.  And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother."

Talk about having bitten off more than one can chew, it is clear that Herod was taken by surprise about the request of the young lady, but it was a deal that was made and he had to abide by his words or face other wraths from people higher up than he.  John the Baptist was thrown in prison by Herod due to the fact that John called him out for having an affair with his brother's wife.  Fast forward to Herod's birthday and a large party was ongoing with all of the amenities and practices being fulfilled.  Nothing had been left out for this occasion including a young dancer.  This dancer did a very good job at what she was willing to do and completed the job beautifully, without hesitation, skepticism, or pausing.  The Greek word used here for pleased is "eresen" which means to please with the idea of willing service rendered to others.  This should stop anyone in their tracts as a sign that something was not quite right about the situation, but nothing was said or done and the show completed with all being happily served with a well-done performance.

Having intimate knowledge of Herod, Herodias had made a secret plan with her daughter, the dancer, and when it came time to thank the young girl, Herod told her that he would give her anything that she asked.  The plot was beheld and told.  The request took Herod by surprise but because of who she was he had no choice but to honor her request which was actually the request of his lover.  As stated above, John told Herod and Herodias that their affair was not moral and that they needed to stop, Herodias got her revenge on John and had him immediately beheaded in prison an act so severe that the historian Jerome states that Herodias gloated over the head of John the Baptist and then she drew out his tongue and pierced it with a needle.  I find this act quite intriguing since many young people have their tongues pierced for sexual pleasure to others.  This was her credibility and Herod's too.

There are many lines and tones that can be applied to by people with a few not even being too concerned about the act that was carried out, that is just the way humans believe and act not only today but even way back in ancient times.  This passage does say that Herod was sorry, sorry for the decision he had made and the oath that he had made with the dance.  Even though his lover had any and every type of contact with him, she kept a few details about herself quiet and did not display them directly until the time was convened.  However, because of his word toward the oath, that stance took precedent over the correct thing to do and therefore carried out the request asked of him.  It is this portion of our will that can be unpredictable for it is a standard of humanity to protect our word and credibility to the public eye and ears, it is also a pride measure of how far we fall when bad oaths are taken over the good.

This story proves just how far a human will go in order to justify their actions and choices, even to the extreme of beheading a righteous whistleblower.  Humans have not changed much over time because this practice of convenient disposal continues today, remember, the heart is evil above all things, and being right or wrong in these actions does not matter, only convenience.  While this story is based on a local event with a spiritual connection do we realize that this type of setting can be on a local, state, or national level as well?  It occurs every day somewhere around the world and we must contend that someday in our future it shall step foot into our nation.  When it does, how will your associations with such positions stand and will they support such drastic oaths being taken and then demanded to be carried out?  What will your credibility be?

Church, I do not believe you have considered this fact too much, not today, not yesterday and unless something drastic occurs (which it shall) you will not change your stance on this issue in the future.  What I find so disturbing is that you have read the Bible for so long and you still confine your faith in the world and confide your heart in its dangerous procedures and practices.  Do you not understand that by doing such an act that you align yourself with the world?  Have you forgotten what the world can provide?  Jesus is calling you today to change your heart and to turn back to Him for time is about to change and you are not going unnoticed by His Father.

Your credibility is not in good standing with God and He knows that at some point you will be shown accountability for this credibility.  Satan has already unleashed his plan of death in your existence and you are abiding by such demands.  How many souls have you hurt over the centuries with your worldly standards and alliances?  How many countries have you tried to destroy with your physical and militant strategies "for God"?  When you have been challenged, you have only responded with physical responses and vacant prayers in order to satisfy your "need" to be right.  How many people have you banned from God due to the hypocrisy in your heart, saying one thing but totally denying it in your heart?  Whether or not you understand it or not, we have acted and still act today like Herod being fondled by a so-called lover that has asked for Jesus' head on a charger.  Remember, it is through our actions and words that come from our hearts and define which type of credibility we have and wish to display.

We are in no shape spiritually to wage any type of defense when Satan asks us to do something, we no longer have a holy discipline (the Word) in our hearts, and no longer do we crave to be near to God and Holy Spirit.  Look at our position and look at the position of those who do not know God and if you are honest, we will see that we are in alignment with the world and not God.  There is a reason Jesus said that there needs to be a spiritual distance between you and those in the world, for it is existing in this manner that people who do not know God shall see Him in you.  This is the credibility that you want and need in your life, the credibility of John the Baptist, and more importantly Jesus.  No matter what comes our way, we must cling to the Word of God and seek Him and have our eyes on Him as these things come to pass for if we do not then our credibility will leave God when times become difficult and we shall not see the Kingdom of God flourish.

DLB

Beyond Belief

Beyond Belief

2/19/22

Many of us have witnessed events or actions that defile the commonality of mankind.  The majority of the time these types of things are projected on the good side of life but there have been other times where things have just gone awry.  It is inevitable that our eyes shall see things of amazement and then have corresponding words to describe such things, but what about when God allows such calamities to surge into our realm?  Will we understand what exactly is transpiring or will we sweep it under the rug and claim that it is a freak event and carry on our way?  Maybe God is trying to grab our attention about how we are living or that He calls us back to Him through repentance, or even continue supernatural events until He has reclaimed His creation back to the starting point again.  In any case, God will use such events to get HIs point of purity, hope, trust, and obedience back into His Order for all of our sakes.  God loves His children and wants only the best for us, but He cannot allow sin to dominate our lives so He uses such grand activities to show us exactly how far away we are from Him.

One would not have to look very hard or far to find stories from people about changes in their lives, like getting a new car, a new house, job, etc, and to have such beautiful plans come forth and blossom into utter happiness.  We hear o such stories on a regular basis with nothing but blessings and good hope in front of us.  We all wish for something like this to occur in our lives, for we should because we live in America, right?  This is supposed to be the land of opportunity, the greatest country on the earth and ever created, so what could ever deter someone from fulfilling this dream and goal for themselves and their family?  The one problem with this truth is that the younger folks coming up today do not wish to work or to be determined to make it such a great story so they decide to make it a nightmare for others.

Over the past decade or so, we have been witness to many travesties sweep over our land, with most of them being human-derived and thus driven into the ground.  While these events have been mostly limited to cities and metropolitan areas, we have now begun to see them in rural America.  After all, is said and done, many lives in every community feel these acts which fuel a wave of anger that is unnecessary.  Now we have political sides taking shape in nations where its citizens protest conditions or lack of conditions, all of which fall under the category of freedom.  Sadly, the responses to these protests also take political sides and if the ruling party agrees with the protests then a blind eye is turned and indirectly supported, but if the protests go against the ruling party's ideas then watch out they will take even more away from you and harm you for the remainder of your existence.

While these types of events are taking place, these are not the types of things that God wants us to know about for this article.  Yes, He sees these events and He does not agree with how they are conducted and play out, but remember God is a complete God and He looks at the heart of an individual and nation and makes things happen accordingly.  Many times we fail to recognize that when things fall apart they are for a supernatural reason and one that is hard to define if we are not in tune with God spiritually.  But when God sees the heart of our activities He gets a perfect view of exactly what the motives are and it really does not matter which side of the political aisle we are on either.  God is ALWAYS heart first and everything else nonexistent.  It is at this point where God decides either to continue His blessings or grab our attention and it is apparent that we are long gone from the blessings area of God's heart.

Recently, I used a song from the 80s and early 90s Christian music group named "Petra" in a previous article, I am going to do this again for it is a song that tells a type of condition that we sometimes forget about God, or at least lean toward one side of God.  The song is entitled "Beyond Belief" and the portion of lyrics are as follows:

"We're content to pitch our tent

When the glory's evident

Seldom do we know

The glory came and went"

The phrase beyond belief is an intriguing one and as humans, we like to associate this phrase with the good side of the meaning and for the majority of us, we would agree that this good side is what we expect or define this phrase to be.  Some would even classify this phrase into the "miracle" category, something that is powerful and wonderful that has the capability to change people's lives for eternity, a process of physical impossibility that our minds find it difficult to comprehend the extent and content of the phrase.  Also, a result that takes a long time to go away or one that never does, a lifetime achievement if you wish.  This brings us to our Scripture passage for this article, one that we have referenced before and might do again in the future.  The passage is as follows:

Genesis 13:10-13

"And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.  Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.  Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched tent toward Sodom.  But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly."

Now, the passage that has just been presented will not be the exact reference for this article, but a setting in which most people will recognize what God does to this plain just a few short verses later.  We cannot forget that just a few chapters earlier in Genesis God had come to the conclusion that all humanity was evil, so much so that He repented for even making humanity.  Humans have a tendency to forget history and what led up to such disastrous conditions for humans, we like to believe that this generation is the best ever recorded, and thus everyone who experiences it is doing the only correct thing.  Here we have Lot looking over a well-watered area, perfect for his flocks and herds, yet ignoring the fact that Sodom is already in the sights of God and it is only a short time before God changes the setting.

After God destroys Sodom and Gomorrah, along with the other towns around it, the entire landscape has been changed.  Once a beautiful landmass has now become a desolate mess that nothing can grow on it.  It is hard to imagine such a happening, to go from one extreme to another from one beyond belief to another beyond belief.  It was unrecognizable as it once was, but this was the path and pattern that the people of this area chose to live under.  It was their choice and coming from a place that once knew God and His mercies and blessings, not many people were now around to discuss the issues.  Beyond belief, is the key phrase here, for there is no question that at one time Sodom and Gomorrah had everything they could ever need in order to live comfortably without want.  Lot saw no disappointment in what he observed that day.  Lot could not see beyond the physical aspects of his eyes, a quick fix to the problem at hand and from all things considered the best option of the two choices.  It is this word "beyond" that needs examining, for many of us just take the physical aspect of what we see, hear, listen to, or speak and then take whatever comes with the said territory.  

Verse 13 talks about what is beyond the physical aspects of that area, one that Lot did not see or predict the sin aspect, the spiritual aspect which was the real issue of the area.  It is the exact reasoning for the title of this article and one we should be very astute to know.  It is obvious that Lot had made up his mind with the area without asking God for guidance for as this verse states God already knew just how bad things were in Sodom and Gomorrah and He would have given an explanation about those conditions to Lot.  Things could have been very different if only Lot had asked God for advice on this matter.  See, Lot was under the authority of Abram, thus he knew the Ways of God and had known to pray and to seek God for answers.

The men of Sodom were wicked in the sight of God, which meant that they had performed such lifestyles for quite some time and through these wicked acts of theirs, God had made such a determination due to the wickedness of their hearts.  The lifestyles of the men in Sodom they enjoyed, promoted, sought out, and thoroughly lived out their lives in chosen sin.  Yes, they believed that nothing could be done to them because of the blessings around them, and as long as these blessings were upon them that God approved.  Lot believed this to be true as well and broke one of the most sensible laws of serving God, asking Him for guidance.  Things were okay for a while but as we see down the road all came crashing to a halt with destruction so methodical and complete that nothing grows in that land today.  

This type of living and lifestyle we have adopted as our own today and we are about to face the exact same type of destruction and devastation from God.  I wish I could say that our hearts still have some hope of God left in them, but it would be a lie if I stated such words.  In today's societies, we demand that our wants are heard and kept sacred and if you do not like them then you need to be permanently silenced.  This is a grave issue but one that is not just the "sinners" fault of action.  Christians have just walked away from such beliefs and have done nothing to curb this type of belief.  We are just as at fault as Lot was, for he got into Sodom and became a person that identifies with Sodom as his home.  Christ did not come into this world to be mocked by those who say or claim to serve Him, we should not be like Lot was in the Old Testament in reference to God.

The Church has accepted the world as its standard, a physical standard only and one that will cost us dearly.  Our landscape is about to become a desert for we shall lose our well-watered livelihood soon.  We have been warned for long enough, this nation has been warned long enough and it is time God brings down His judgment so that our land can be restored again.  But this restoration is not going to be a quick process for as we know when we look around our landscape, treasures, buildings, ideas, thoughts, and settings are far greater and so much deeper than what Sodom ever was.  The only thing in common that this nation, the Church, and other nations around the world have is our sin and it runs super deep and it will take a lot of digging to get rid of.  God suggests that we leave Him to His business and allow Him to dig out what is necessary for restoration to occur.  I have no idea what this process shall entail or how long it will last, but it is here and it shall be completed.  We have been warned for over two years now to brace ourselves and to be honest we have ignored this warning.  So, Church, nation, and nations around the world, here we go because it will be a beyond belief scenario.

DLB

No Longer Struggling

No Longer Struggling

2/19/22

What happens when we tire of struggling with particular circumstances or situations and just begin to accept the status quo?  All things falling apart is the end result of this quagmire and it only becomes worse after this point.  So why do we tend to give up so easily on such important matters?  Our stamina and willpower are not as strong as they used to be and when we are challenged for a considerable amount of time, we simply quit and try to move on to the next stage of life.  If this tactic was to be managed in this manner it would have been exampled in the Bible, but it is not.  God intends for us to continue fighting in the correct manner and advance His Kingdom for He knows that if we do not or fight incorrectly our enemy shall win.  Therefore, our Christian walk should not faint or quit at any time, but for some reason, we have failed in keeping the correct struggle alive.

It is not hard to see all of the heartaches that have been haphazardly accruing over the past few decades.  It seems like every day that we wake up we are faced with another temporary or permanent crisis that has suddenly and "miraculously" developed during the night.  These conditions are not just limited to one size of the societal level but to all levels to which the gross majority of us must deal, it seems like no one is exempt from such calamity.  Many have wondered if these things shall pass and good times return soon, or as some say "back to normal".  Unfortunately, those days are long gone and shall not return as they were before, we are actually in the beginning stages of a new era one of the uncharted paths and it is our own fault that we are and will be in this position.

God has given us plenty of time to turn our hearts back to Him and to return unto His Ways and LAws, but we have ignored this beckoning and have chosen our paths of selfishness instead.  As I look back upon my youthful days, I can remember many teachers of mine both in public and private schools gently nudging the students to honor God and to keep our distance from the world.  Many kids struggled with such decisions and gave in to the peer pressure that accompanied these decisions and our lives of ours.  This struggle was great and while many of our parents were basking in the popularity of being Christians at the time, Satan used this era to incorporate many of his evil ways in our hearts that we do not consider to be bad at all today.  

Contemporary Christian music was just gaining ground back when I was in junior high and high school, but there was one group that had a good beat and a wonderful message of salvation, repentance, and restoration.  This group stayed popular all the way into the 1990s and was named "Petra".  Some great songs came out of their spirits and each song had its own message to reach all types of kids, one of these songs came out in 1990 and was entitled "Prayer".  One of the lines of the lyrics summed up what my young generation was going through back then and it formed the basis of what these new generations are NOT doing.  The lyrics are as such: 

"Let me be the evidence of what Your grace can do

To a generation struggling to find themselves in You"

This message to us at the time was one of having hope in God, trusting in God, and wanting and needing God in our lives with God being first in all areas of our hearts.  This message was perfectly stated for this was a time when Christianity was popular and many young people and old alike were turning to God for help.  However, the struggle with the world and all of its tricks and hurts still presented itself to us each day and many did not adequately understand what was occurring or how to combat it correctly.  After a short while, the excitement of being a Christian fell away and people began to slowly but methodically become cold to God and warm toward the world.  The adventure of Christianity slowed and the long-term life of an existence settled in.  This continual and steady inclusion of the world has increased the world's strength in our lives exponentially, so much so, that the world can claim coup over the Church, any other institution that goes against it, and that includes personal levels as well.

Once again, young people began to doubt God's Way and entered into the new excitement of the world.  Also, there was a great rebellion occurring as well between the kids and parents.  Yes, all ears of humanity, especially western humanity, go through such a phase but this commitment to the rebellion was deeper for a good majority of us had church experience and it was this participation that Satan could not have; so the fight was being waged in a manner that many did not understand which caused a huge falling away and tepid hearts to living for Jesus.  This form of worldly inclusion continued exponentially and its strength and power over people grew at the same pace and had the accompanying size to go with this growth.  Today, this setting within our hearts is different, for we no longer struggle with the powers to be we would rather appease them and have fun all the while keeping God at a distance.  This is where our Scripture verse comes into our article and is as follows:

Romans 12:2

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

This verse for this article speaks volumes of how we should daily treat the world; however, we have ignored its call and thus allowed this worldly influence to invade the spirit of the Church.  How have we done this, you ask?  How many look at this verse and automatically bypass the statute of the Church as the subject and begin our course of accusations on the world?  If this verse would have been viewed correctly and followed as it was meant to be the entire world's settings and attitude would be completely different.  We have missed the fact that the epistles of the New Testament were written to the Church because of the attitudes and beliefs (of the world) that they had accumulated over the few short years of their existence.  This verse says that the Church in Rome was having compliance issues and these issues were big enough that the Church was beginning to fall apart, from the inside outward, meaning that their activities and beliefs were making them weaker spiritually and worldly stronger.

What we do not understand is that when Christianity was popular and the Church growing we missed the fact that we should have been studying how the struggles were to be fought; we did, but even then we did not take those words seriously enough.  However, Satan did and he has built himself quite a corps of trained engineers that were convinced to dull those messages and words of the epistles in order to go from struggling to no longer struggling for control of our hearts and minds.  Therefore, we can correctly ascertain that the books of the New Testament were not only written for the churches in Paul's day but for our churches, today for the same scenario of the world's advantage is shining brightly as ever.

When you look at this subject in terms of the spirit realm, what the world no longer has to struggle with is the result of direct descendants of unhelped and unhealed conditions of our past.  The Church has fought so much with itself that we no longer have time to fight the good fight, the one that we are supposed to be fighting.  In all spiritual honesty, we have been abusing ourselves over matters we should even care about because in no way should we offer our energies up to the world, our energies should be used fighting the spiritual world and all of its eternal injustices.  We no longer struggle with what is right and through this example, the ones who need Jesus shall never turn to Him because of the non-willingness for us to fight against what they are struggling with.  Their identity in the world stays just as it is because we cannot get out of our wet paper sack.

The Church is now passive in spirit and no longer stands out front for the sinner.  The world sees such activity and acts accordingly in its response.  Question for you: in which instance would you take if you are in need and looking for help?  An institution that stands there but ignores your visible pain or one that talks to you and says that it cares when it really does not.  That is an easy question to answer and it is exactly what we no longer present to the dying world an eternal institution that struggles for its identity and to allow it to shine in a dead world.  In this weak condition of ours, we no longer have the spiritual strength or energy to stand up for God and His Word and through this condition, we no longer see the need for our mission to be completed because all we can focus upon is our inner self-preservation; therefore, we cannot and do not provide any type of example of spiritual leadership to those who are in need of the spiritual guidance necessary to keep struggling for God.

Church through this action of ours, we have advanced ourselves beyond the lyrics of the great song that we spoke about at the beginning of this article.  We have gone past this state of existence so how do you think the people who want to find truth in their lives and earnestly seek such truth will be able to struggle or even overcome such struggle with the enemy?  We have fallen for the greatest lie that we can believe, making the adjustment to end our own struggle with our identity in Christ coming to the conclusion that no struggle is necessary because our acceptance with the world is a better solution.  How can we come up with such a solution as this?  Not only are we discontinuing the mission that Christ has given to us to complete, but we have allowed Satan to rob us enough that we no longer have any connection or trust from those who need Christ.

Unfortunately, the world is about to take an abrupt turn and all things shall change drastically and dramatically.  Also, the coldness and indifference that we now harbor within our hearts shall be exposed as well.  The ones who have been assigned to teach those unbelievers why the world is not the place to dwell shall be exposed even more than what the world will, we expect exposure from the world but not from the eternal messengers from God.  What the world has been allowed to do to countless numbers of people is called abuse and the Church has fallen into such a category as well.  Our struggle with the world has ended but we need to get that back again.  I do not know when things shall change and all of the junk, garbage, and filth shall be exposed but it is going to be in the very near future.

We need to change our example Church, we need to pick back up the struggle with the world and once again give the ones who need Christ in their lives a true example that the world does not own you.  This lack of struggling continues because of our silence and ignorance of the obvious through independent identifications and flat-out lies.  Our divisions have caused great harm to our mission and it is time we pick up the Word again and teach the truth about God, Satan, and eternity.  We need to be active in the lives of those who want Christ in their lives, that is what we are supposed to do and we cannot accomplish this unless we go back to battle.  Because of our laziness, the world has gained a stronger foothold on people and this means we need to dive deeper into the Word of God for direction to proclaim the security of God.

DLB

Jesus Lived A Sinless Life

Jesus Lived A Sinless Life

2/2/22

Some people have had doubts about the life of Jesus while He was on this earth, many scholars believe such ridiculous lies about Jesus and then promote them to those who wish to listen.  Of course, Satan loves this tactic for obvious reasons and when a sinful Jesus is introduced into our ears the battle then begins for the real truth.  God never intended for Jesus to come to the earth, this was evident in Adam, but Jesus gladly gave up His throne and came to be The Eternal Sacrifice for all creation.  In order for this to occur, He must have been spotless, blameless, and Holy at all times.  God's Word declares Jesus as the lamb that was slain for all and I do not care what people believe, this life of Jesus was sinless and pure and gives us hope for eternal life.

In a world that is in a constant state of chaos and confusion, it would seem like people would focus their efforts on subjects that are steady and pure, but for some reason, we would rather take the step toward deeper fun and excitement, or maybe even hype.  In any case, either road taken toward the world leaves us bankrupt on all levels of our existence and it is in this condition that we choose to live with a continual complaint department that begins with our rising from our beds until our eyes close each night.  It is our own fault that we fail to recognize that the world that we choose to accept in our lives as normal is the exact foundation that births our everyday problems.  What we do not realize, Christians is that what we are choosing to accept is actually making our lives far worse than what we should be experiencing, and to this truth, we have no guiltless presence.

In this day of easy access to information, it is not difficult to understand how people gain connection to volumes of ideas concerning a certain matter.  The human mind and heart have always been the source of our curiosity, even when the modern-day information tools were still a manual and time-consuming activity.  It is not hard to imagine how some people run with a few words they have come across in order to help them ascertain a selfish conclusion about the researched or thought about content.  It is also easy to express these ideas to others in a variety of ways, then sit back and watch how the reviews are taken.  

As a history lover, I am all for doing research about whatever subject one desires, taking notes on such subjects, compiling the notes into other forms of communication, and then eventually presenting them on a large platform is one wishes.  This would seem like a logical process to follow; but, when writing or explaining the history, it is essential that the truth be told because when it is not, big trouble lies ahead and so many misdirections of presented material can be taken in varied contexts.  Also, we must consider that whatever the topic covered and placed into this category can be anything from a few paragraphs long to a full manuscript not leaving any detail out in order to support their cause.

It is common knowledge that many people take the Bible out of context and then twist its words and chapters for their own purposes or just to be correct in an argument.  To make things worse, scholars have done the exact same thing but placed these lies into an academic form and then sold it to others as the truth.  It is this topic that God wants to think about today, for it is written that Jesus lived a sinless life and had no divisions with His Father, so it is not a far-fetched concept that Satan loves to do his best in distorting this eternal truth about Jesus.  Our Scripture passages are as follows:

Luke 8: 1-3

"And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him, And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance."

Have any of you heard the talk concerning Jesus and Mary Magdalene and how it is "very likely" that they had an intimate relationship with each other and probably had a baby together?  This lie has been told over and over for such a long period of time that it is almost never questioned, even by people who are considered Bible scholars and ministers.  It fits a common narrative about God and how He loves us no matter what we do and will overlook sin in order to have us by His side for eternity.  Such grotesque thoughts turn into preachable beliefs and are bought by hungry hearts to pacify sins that are believed to be hidden yet burning within our lives.  If people buy into this lie it means that they have become doubters of the Word of God or that they never really believed in the Bible at all.  

What I find interesting about this line of thinking is that the line is what is driving so many people into hateful existences due to the fact of their own debilitating choices in relationships.  It would be commonplace for one to try and deflect their own inadequacies by smearing or discrediting others who have a more secure relationship.  We see this occurring over and over with ugly outcomes from court-ordered separations and other proceedings that bind division and seclusion and who could be more "vulnerable" than Jesus humanity's perfect example of purity and hope.

If doubt comes into play here about the eternal truth about Jesus, then none of these people can truly call themselves believers in Christ, nor do they understand or believe that Jesus fulfilled the Law according to Scriptures.  The Law that was followed in the Old Testament originated from the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20 and it is impossible for Jesus to be the One and True Sacrifice for all sin if He was not a pure and spotless lamb.  Exodus 20 gives us the list of the commandments God gave to Moses, not committing adultery is one of these commandments.  How could Jesus commit adultery you ask?  John 10:30 states that Jesus and His Father are one which means Jesus could not go against this relationship and commit any other type of "oneness" with another; until His Bride.  All plans that God has for humanity would be thrown out of the window and could not be initiated for anyone.  All roads would then eternally point to our destruction because being human is a flawed state, non-redeemable in the eyes of God.  In this case, God should have ended creation back with Noah and allowed Noah to be the last survivor and inhabitant into Heaven.

How can such a statement or belief be accurately stated and presented?  If Jesus was going to live a rebellious life, it would have been evident quickly that He would follow the path of Adam and Eve therefore cutting off the only remaining perfect Sacrificial line would be eternally devastating.  What people do not realize is that when they believe such atrocities and then publicly slander God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit they open themselves up for a devastating and destructive setting within their own lives.  It becomes clear that whimsical and superficial understanding of Jesus' presence and the reason why He came to this earth by these publishers is that they have been influenced by worldly contacts and standards.  This is an example of raw footage of what occurs when people use the gift God gives them while under the influence and guidance of Satan's kingdom.  When true wisdom is not comprehended on a biblical level it is easy to regard such beliefs as truths for support from like-minded fellows who will certainly buy into such theories, we see this occur every day on different planes so why would it not occur on the highest of them all?

It is the job of the world to entice people away from God and the ruler does a very good job of discrediting God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit through such unsubstantiated "facts".  So if the world's ruler can lure you into believing that Jesus was a sinner too and did some fleshy details, your sin would be justified and one that you do not have to be concerned about ridding yourself of any sin that you harbor.  Jesus lived a sinless life even from the manner in which He was conceived He was sinless.  I understand that many people who have contact with other people who have been delivered from some Satanic entity will develop relationships with them, but not Jesus.  Yes, it was exciting that He cast out seven devils from Mary but His Kingdom of deliverance, restoration, and salvation did not hinge on any intimate relationship or contact on this implied level.  If so, then Jesus was a liar, a thief, and a fraud for He would have fulfilled sin's laws and not God's Laws.

Any organized religious denomination, religious council, church, or pastor that says that Jesus was a sinner and committed such sins is not telling you or proclaiming to you the Jesus, Son of God who came to save the world.  Sadly, many denominations have accepted such theologies, maybe not in these specific terms or words but if they deviate one iota from what the Word of God says they are lying to you according to this sinful standard that the world proclaims about Jesus.  Church it is not our job to be ANY representative of the world to the sinners of the world, but it IS our job to be witnesses of Jesus to these sinners.  Therefore, if we wish to convert sinners to Christ and to allow these precious people to choose Christ then we cannot afford to be wrong about any detail about Christ.

We cannot allow Satan to influence our minds and hearts in any way, for it has been said that if you give Satan an inch he will become a ruler.  Blindly, the Church has given Satan this type of access to her heart and she, in turn, has responded with sinful gestures and motives in order to try and appease those who she should be witnessing to.  Through our own ignorance, we now preach a false gospel and boldly stand up for this gospel, and willingly and knowingly denounce the truth about Jesus.  We no longer struggle against the world but with God an eternally damnable state that if we do not change very soon will become the focal point of God's coming Glory.  A Glory we shall not understand and for many will not accept further dividing us from God.  What Jesus did for Mary Magdalene was a miracle and we should be doing greater things than Jesus did, just as He said we should and would be doing, promoting and living a sinless life.

DLB