Stand My Watch

I was ready to address the second part of my blog concerning cyberspace soul ties, but I felt led to write a short topic on a verse from John that the Lord gave me.

In John 13, before the feast of Passover, Jesus knew that the enemy was going to do his work through Judas. He was aware of all that which was now before Him. Yet he arose from the supper and put a towel around His waist and poured water into a basin. He then proceeded to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel around His waist. When He came to Peter, he pulled back and said, “Lord are you going to wash my feet?” The Lord answered, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will after this.” Peter responded, “You shall never wash my feet!” Jesus then said, “If I do not wash you, you will have no part in Me.” Peter responded that the Lord should also wash his hands and head! Jesus then said, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.” For one would betray Him.

Jesus went on to explain that what He did they must do also. He was the example. “A servant is not greater than his master; neither is he who is sent greater than He who sent him.” But, “he who receives whomever I’ve sent receives Me, and the one who receives Me receives the Father who sent Me.”

Easter is but a few weeks away and how many are reflecting on these words Jesus spoke knowing what was going to happen to Him. These words should resonate with us always. He is still offering for us to come before Him and be cleansed. That which He did was usually done by a servant. But He was the ultimate servant. Cleansing your feet washed away all that you picked up in your hard travels and work of the day. It was a hard life for most and having that service done to you was cleansing to both the spirit and the body. All the things you went through and the troubles and hardships that were caked onto your feet were washed away as a sign of hospitality. But this was different. This was the Lord. And Peter realized that which he had touched and put his hands to in his life also needed to be cleansed. And more importantly, his thoughts that he believed to be unseen were suddenly there for his Lord to see, and he wanted that cleansed also. As should we all. The mind is our major battlefield.

The Lord was giving an example that His disciples must live by. But that example also pertains to us. We must be servants. Give and it will be given to you, but give only because He who is everything gave to us. If you follow His commandments, you will love one another as He loves us. He gave His life for us, though we still seem to miss it and not understand. All that pertains to life He has given us. Yet so many seem to grasp on to things that bring calamity and heartache. People gravitate to those things that touch the senses and only too late realize they have chosen a crooked path. Keep your eyes on the prize. Any other way will bring destruction. Quit believing what so many say that causes you to deviate from His true path. It ends up in a ditch. He said that He has sent the spirit of Truth that we may be led and not be deceived. But it seems His sheep run after that which they see or hear that touches their soulish realms, which in turn brings a division between them and the Lord.

Stop right where you are and ask Him to cleanse you. For those that see, you’ll be surprised by how much filth and grime comes off you. His love and peace is ever present. Put away that which is going on throughout the world and the politics of this country, the church, fear of your future and fear of the present. Give it to Him. The Lord says in Ezekiel 36 that “I will sprinkle clean water on you and you shall be clean. I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all idols. I’ll give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you. I’ll take out the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I’ll put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes. Then you shall be My people and I will be your God.”

That’s what Jesus was giving in John 13. Cleansing. A new life. A new outlook. His view. Give in to Him. It will bring new life. Even though the outward man seems to be perishing, the inward man is being renewed day by day. All of His promises are yes and amen in Christ. It says in 1 Corinthians 2:9 that “Eye has not seen, nor has ear heard, neither has entered into the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him.” Even though it was not necessary, be like Peter when he realized what was at hand, and say cleanse all of me. Blessings.

Soul ties are discussed and recognized in the bible as both positive and negative. When we’re connected with someone via our mind, will, or emotions, we form a soul tie. As stated, if we form a soul tie with someone that is a positive influence on us, then that soul tie is positive in what it produces. But the converse of that can tie us with someone that brings about a negative influence and bad results.

We are not meant to be alone, and look for relationship, love, acceptance, and validation. Bonds can be formed that produce lasting friendships and bring a sense of peace and fulfillment to our lives. This can come from friends, spouses, siblings, parents, church leaders, mentors, or those in leadership positions that have an effect on our lives. We form ties with people that often have similar likes and thoughts to us. We feel they believe as we do and therefore feel comfortable with them and are more likely to form a bond of trust with them.

Biblical examples of Godly soul ties can be seen with Ruth and Naomi in the book of Ruth. It shows how Godly soul ties can affect history and even change rules. Ruth was a Moabite. In Deuteronomy 23, it states no Moabite can enter the assembly of the Lord because of their treatment of Israel after they left Egypt. Yet, because of Ruth’s friendship and vow to never leave Naomi, she ended up marrying Boaz and became the great-grandmother of David, and therefore entered the family line of Jesus. The rule in Deuteronomy became void for her.

Elijah and Elisha had a soul tie from the standpoint of Elijah being the mentor. Elisha kept his eyes on his mentor and never left his side. He ended up with a double portion of Elijah’s anointing.

In 1 Samuel, it states that the soul of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was knit to the soul of David. The two of them made a covenant of lasting friendship with each other. They said that their vow was in the name of the Lord and that the Lord would be between them forever.

You can see the same Godly soul ties with Jesus and His disciples, or with Paul as a spiritual father to Timothy. If you read in the epistles Paul wrote, you’ll see the deep connection he had with so many he called friends. Deeper than just those who ministered together. This is how it is supposed to be.

We see all too frequently that the soul tie between two people, or even a group of people, can be out of order in many ways. People sometimes seek to have needs met that put them in a place where they are used or abused. Some prey on others and take advantage of emotional problems. This can happen with any relationship. People control others by fear and manipulation. The person being controlled may be looking for love or acceptance. The fear of losing someone, even when the relationship is unhealthy, allows that ungodly, co-dependent relationship to continue. Someone may be looking for another to heal a fractured relationship or be the product of abusive or neglectful parenting. You then end up gravitating toward the wrong person who will actually just continue that pattern of abuse or control. They may affirm you or just make you feel strengthened as in an “us against them” relationship, or even be a sympathetic ear to all your problems as well as feelings of revenge which may serve to affirm you. All of these are soul ties that are contrary to God’s will.

The most commonly talked of wrong biblical soul tie involves sex. When two people are joined together sexually out of wedlock, a connection is made. It speaks of this in 1 Corinthians 6. You become soul tied to that person and at the same time, tied to everyone they were with, for it is out of God’s order. The same is true of adultery and any other sexual connection. We pervert what He gave us as perfect. When this happens, we can see how we become entangled. Unless that tie is broken, we can end up affected as those subatomic particles I wrote of in my blog on Entanglement Theory. We are affected by that other person even when out of that person’s presence. It can become likened to one who suffers a phantom pain with the loss of a limb. You may feel a pain you believe to be from your foot, but it is no longer there. You’re still connected.

Even church leaders are not immune to this. All too often you see a case where someone is being controlled by a church leader they felt they could trust. It can start out harmlessly, but then you find some unmet need you have being met by them, not God, and a wrong tie is developed. As with any tie, they may have initially helped you with rejection, loneliness, insecurity, low self- esteem, a broken relationship, abandonment, disappointment, etc. These people are users. Hucksters. They do not show the love of God, nor do they look to heal and then see you established in your ministry. You become a necessary sheep providing an offering or filling some need they may have. This must be broken. Even parents make wrong soul ties and control their children. They end up raising an emotionally unstable child that will often just make another wrong soul tie with someone else if not healed.

One soul tie I’ve not seen talked about that I perceive becoming a grave problem is what I call a cyberspace soul tie. I see people so emotionally tied to others that they are unaware that their attachment is not God’s will.  Nor do they see the damage it’s doing. This is just a cursory examination of soul ties. I’ll speak on this and cyberspace soul ties at another time.

We need to know that through Christ we become new creations. Old things have passed away and all things become new. We were bought at a price. We cannot become slaves of men. Only be yoked to Him. All other things out of His will cause heartache and problems. Develop a right tie with Him and know your faith and hope should be in God, not men. I pray you ask the Lord if any wrong tie exists with you. If so, repent and break them in Jesus name for whom the Son sets free is free indeed. Psalm 1:1 says “Blessed is the one who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. His delight is in the law of the Lord.” Send every wrong word that you’ve been enticed with back to whoever spoke it. Renounce all ties not in His perfect will. I pray His peace and wisdom for you. Blessings.

 

Entanglement theory is a term used in quantum theory to describe the way that particles of energy or matter can become correlated to predictably interact with each other, regardless of how far apart they are. When two subatomic particles come in contact with one another, they are forever entangled. Even when they leave each others’ presence, if you reverse spin on one particle, no matter where they are, the other one automatically reverses its spin. My understanding of physics or quantum theory is quite pathetic. I can read an excerpt from Einstein or Bell and try to get the gist of it, but even that is past my capability.

If we attempt to apply this formula to maybe even a lesser degree in life, it makes sense. There are people we meet or become connected to that seem to be forever entwined with us. We can both simultaneously be thinking of each other at the same time and, at times, make the same decisions because we seem to be on the same wavelength. It’s as if we are talking on the phone from opposite ends of the country and make the same choices in a certain situation with no pre knowledge of what the other was doing. There is a profound connection. Yet conversely we can meet some people and never think of them again once we’re out of their presence.

I believe this works in ways that go beyond just meeting people. We see instances of people that seem to be closely linked to others that they’ve never met. They see them on TV or in articles they read and have a commonality of thought with that person. This can be someone who positively affects you in that what they say or write is encouraging or uplifting to you. It can get you through tough times or provide a means of relaxation to you. Authors, ministers, politicians, or other public figures can say or write things so closely related to your mindset that it seems you know them. Thusly, their actions have a profound effect on you. Sometimes adversely.

Listening to things said or written by people I know, or on social media, is a perfect example of this. Some political point is publicized and everything seems to flare up. It is as if one person starts to spin in a certain direction and someone else does the same thing miles away. The connection in the mind and emotions is affected and often reason seems to be cast off. People become so emotionally joined, they are unaware that they react just like those sub atomic particles in quantum theory. They are forever entangled and seem quite incapable of extricating themselves.  If they could look at their reactions, from the vantage point of an objective viewer, they would run the gamut of feelings of amused, to horrified, to disbelief. How does this have such a profound effect on your reactions? The Word says we are not to be deceived. No matter what political leanings you may have, they are not to have this effect on you. Every word out of our mouth is recorded. The things we say that cause others to turn from the Way is on us. We will answer to them. Ephesians 4:29 says, “Let no unwholesome word proceed forth from your mouth, but only such words that are good for edification, according to the need of the moment, so that it may bring grace to those that hear.” The next couple of verses tell us to do away with all bitterness, anger, wrath and evil speaking. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another as Christ forgave you. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit.

We cannot expect to be an example of Christ if we continue to act this way. If others do this, you should not react as those entanglement theory particles do if you are following Christ. It you are affected this way, we are told in 2 Corinthians 13:5, “To examine ourselves as to whether we are in the faith. Test yourselves.” If you’ve accepted Christ, He is in you. You cannot have room for Him and these awful thoughts and actions at the same time. We all come to a place that outside things have too great a hold on us and we need a good internal house cleaning. Do it when you are in a place of recognizing this is what you need. Self- cleansing is easier than having it done to you.

Regardless of how you feel that adverse spin is affecting you, do not let it cause you to react in an manner unworthy of a believer. Hold fast to that which is good. Avoid the useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds. Follow that which is true and good. Pray as David did and ask Him to cause you to know the way in which you should walk and to let the words of your mouth and the meditation of your heart be acceptable in His sight.

I’ll write on the spiritual implications of entanglement theory at another time. Blessings.

 

I wrote of being yoked with Christ on 1-30-17. I feel it’s necessary to continue with this topic. As stated in the Message Bible, Jesus is asking those who have ears to hear, if they are tired and worn out. If they are burned out on religion. He gives an invitation to get away with Him and He’ll show you how to rest and to walk and work with Him, and He’ll show you the right way to rest….in Him. He says you’ll be able to learn the unforced rhythms of grace. That alone should cause anyone to stop and listen. Unforced rhythms of grace? It sounds appealing, but after being under so many rules of religion and seeing how so many seem to expect you to follow their dictates while they themselves do not conform to their own rules, it just seems too good to be true.

In the Passion Translation of these verses in Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus says He’ll refresh your life and that He Himself will be like an oasis to you. But you must join your life to His and realize that when Jesus asks you to take His yoke upon you, it is a conscious act of fellowship with Him. You insert yourself into that yoke and by doing so, you state that you want to walk with Him and learn from Him. You literally lift it up and place yourself under it which helps you grow in grace and the knowledge of Him. If your life seems to have been like a desert at times, then an oasis is exactly what you need. This yoke He speaks of will not be ill fitting or too tight and cumbersome. He knows exactly where you are and what is necessary for you to walk with Him.  It is the world, and too often the church, that puts overly burdensome restrictions on us and we mistake that for Him and soon we are again walking alone. You become that person sung about in the song by Green Day. Walking a lonely road.  Alone. Your shadow is the only one that walks beside you. Your shadow’s heart is the only heart beating. Saying you wish someone out there will find you. You have to check your vital signs to see if you’re alive. Sadly many are in that state. Especially those who say they are Christians. They are not being spoken to in a way that brings His hope. They are just being spoken to. And those who have not taken a step in His direction look at what is being presented as Christ and saying no thank you in the most defiant way they can.

It is extremely easy to say yes to being yoked with Him in this country. No one is going to put you in jail for professing a belief in Christ. No one will beat you or behead you. But it is happening in many areas of the world and has been for a long time. We can suffer small discomfort and walk away from Him. We can become easily tempted and are quickly out of step with Him. Things don’t go the way we believe they should go, especially now that we believe we have arrived as a believer, and we get angry at God and are no longer in step with Him. I’ve done that too many times. I’m thankful for His available grace that He gives freely. I cannot earn it. Yet as it says in Hebrews 4: 15-16, He can sympathize with our weaknesses and temptations and still says for us “to come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in our time of need.” We can be rightly yoked with Him again.

We had the word for years. It was spoken and written. Jesus didn’t send someone else to deliver a message of new life and salvation. He came. He taught and showed us first hand. He still speaks and performs things of wonder. He showed us how we were to live directly related to God and He in all ways was one with the Father. He walked perfectly yoked with Him. He met every need yet still was only received by a minority. He had to give His all for us to realize who He was. He often tried to get away for just a moment but He could not hide. They followed Him and found Him even when He went out to sea. They were waiting for Him on the other side. Word spread. His compassion would not allow Him to walk away. But today we are in a position of following people that teach a gospel contrary to His. The church will follow after that which promises them what they “believe” is Gods’ will. And then the sheep are enticed by wrong doctrine. You are ONLY to be yoked to Jesus. No other. Quit following those who profess to know God, but in works they deny Him. They are disobedient and disqualified, yet they continue to be given a position that can cause many to fall.

If we have our eyes fixed on anything other than Him, we will stumble and fall. If we try to walk in a different direction or path than that which is laid out for us, we will not only become loosed from the yoke we are in with Him, we will lose our way. We have to walk by faith not by sight. Even when things get bad and the road seems to be rising at an elevation that makes the trek harder, He is with you. Tearing away from a right relationship of being gently yoked to Him can cause a tear in our spiritual fabric. But even in this, we have to know He is with us. He was crucified on a yoke shaped cross and yielded up all for us. Remember that He said He is gentle and humble. When you hear a voice that sounds completely different from that, walk away. He said in John 10 that His sheep know His voice. They will not follow the voice of a stranger and in fact will flee from him. He gives His life for His sheep. What we see too often are just hirelings. They will not lay down their life for you. Pray for these people but do not follow them.

I pray the hidden treasures of wisdom and knowledge for you and that you seek to attain a walk pleasing to Him and realize the blessings which come with that. James 1:5 says to ask for wisdom and He will give that to you liberally and without reproach. But ask and expect. I pray you are strengthened with all might according to His glorious power that you would partake of the inheritance that He has reserved for you. It is for right now. And come to Him. Rest is promised to all. The soul distressed and the sick. Those who are lost or just tired and see no answer. He is our ever present help in our time of need.  Blessings.

 

One of the most important yet misunderstood scriptures spoken by Christ is Matthew 11:27-30. He says simply, “Come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” The Message Bible says of the same verses, “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to Me. Get away with Me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with Me and work with Me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with Me and you’ll learn to live freely.” This seems to be an invitation easily accepted, but what else is in this? In the verse just before these, Christ tells us that everything has been delivered to Him by the Father, and that no one knows the Son but the Father, and no one intimately knows the Father but the Son. But He can unveil the Father to anyone He chooses. (New Passion Translation)

We’ve gone from hearing an invitation to be not just yoked to Jesus, but coming into a knowledge of the Father as Jesus knows Him. This requires a conscious act of our will to submit ourselves to Him 100%. This involves giving up the right to ourselves. It does not happen overnight, but the more you give to Him, the better you hear Him and start to share in the beat of His heart. The Lord’s way of looking at things we see going on in the world right now will start to be your vision. You will feel a strengthening in how you can stand in the midst of adversity. You can speak and think His precepts even when those around you seem diametrically opposed to what you now know to be bathed in truth. But it’s a journey.

When an ox is first placed in a yoke, he is usually teamed with a mature ox that has been doing this work for awhile. He learns and feels more comfortable than starting off into this new walk alone. It’s scriptural. Even Paul was initially teamed with Barnabas. (see Acts 9 and 13). Often, sharp sticks called goads are used to keep the oxen in line. The Lord also told Paul that it was hard to kick against the goads. It can hurt. It gets your attention. You cannot walk contrary to the way of one yoked to God and be in harmony with Him. We so often want to walk after what we believe He is calling us to when everything seems good, or when we think we are under the anointing of the Holy Spirit and we momentarily are of single mind and vision. But then we realize that there is something required of us. We actually have to follow what the Lord says and show His character. Even when things are not going like we want.

You cannot be yoked with unbelievers and at the same time yoked to Him. But even this goes farther. You cannot be yoked to Him and continue with old mindsets. Or hateful ways. Or how can you speak things that would turn away an unbeliever or one who has turned from God, and actually believe you are still yoked to Christ? Where is your heart for the unsaved, the downtrodden, the poor, the desolate , and the broken hearted?  How can you speak a gospel that is contrary to His words of hope to those who have lost hope?  If these things are not in your heart, then you are yoked to another. It may be people you follow, even religious leaders or political leaders, or your own self interests. But it’s not Christ. To be yoked with Him and expect to make a difference without doing your best to imitate Him is like punching the wind and believing you’ll change the weather.

Right now I’m still seeing people I know to profess Christ, continuing to spout hateful and divisive things. I am troubled because I see so much harm come from those called to show His love and mercy. Minds have become closed to His teachings. It’s visible all the time and everywhere. What has caused so many to be enticed by false promises, lies, and wrong teaching and leading? It’s as if so many called to lead have been deceived. No person who advocates a teaching contrary to the gospel of Christ is to be followed. Prayed for and lifted up, yes. But then a line of spiritual demarcation must be drawn. The Lord has never changed His mind regarding sin. Nor has Christ told you to go out and just get people to believe in Him. He said go make disciples. We seem to forget that part. One who accepts Christ must come to a place of being a disciple into His true heart or they will be out of step with Christ. Amos 3:3 says, “How can two walk together, unless they are agreed?” How can you expect a harvest if you sow in the wrong spirit? Paul warned in 2 Corinthians 6 about being wrongly yoked. If you continue to spout hateful words and create division and discord, not peace, then you are the same as one yoked to an unbeliever or one who works to undermine the grace of God.

Oswald Chambers said, “If we understand what God is after, we shall be saved from being mean and cynical.” And there’s the rub. Understanding. Seeking Him. Being watchful when those awful feelings rise up in the midst of us, and realizing that it comes from a place in us not surrendered to Him. But as it is written in Hebrews 11, “He rewards those who diligently seek Him.” I pray He reveals the hidden depths of wisdom and knowledge to you. That you never falter in seeking him and His precepts. That no matter how bad things may seem in this world or how much you disagree with, He is your source. Rest in Him. He will lead you to a broad place where you will find rest. You will know that with Him you can rise up in the worst of times knowing that He is good and He is a shield to those who trust in him. And as it says in Galatians 5:1, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” That was your past. Walk in freedom.   Blessings

 

As I was sitting yesterday, I felt a sensation on my lower left leg. Touching it, I realized that a good deal of that area was still numb from harvesting a vein to be used in my 1992 by-pass surgery. The area of the upper inside of my right lower leg also has an area still numb from my 2015 by-pass surgery. As I felt those areas, I realized many people have numbness not due to surgery. It’s emotional or spiritual. The parable of the sower in Matthew 13 speaks to this. People do not hold onto the word and the enemy snatches it away. Or they stumble when persecution or tribulation arises. The cares of the world, greed, a divided heart, and personal ambition prevents spiritual fruit in that person’s life. But to those open to hear and receive the good word and keep it in their hearts, they will bear and produce fruit that produces much.

We all start out with good intentions. But many become so bogged down by the disappointment and the feeling of being used and incapable of being or making a difference that we shut down. We become shells of who we once thought we’d be. Apathy sets in, and that which was so meaningful to us at one point now becomes an effort to even contemplate. So we allow things to enter in to our conscious life that would have once appalled us. Compromise becomes the order of the day. And it becomes difficult to get through and alert you to the fact you’re on a downward spiral.

The lyrics to Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb” come to mind. You want to say, “Hello? Is there anybody in there?” I understand that you are let down. Where there was once the ability to look at all that was going on, or see more than one viewpoint on things with no perfect lines of division, you now only react with anger. You answer that you’ve gone through something and feel you can’t explain, as I would not understand. As if to say “this is not how I am. I’ve become comfortably numb.” But I see reasons why you’ve become angry and apathetic, but what I don’t understand, is how those reasons have changed your way of thinking and especially your heart. Christ in you, the hope of glory, is fading.

I’m sure we could all list at least a hundred things that have a deleterious effect on why we feel so out of sorts and fed up. We see a constant barrage of 24 hour news telling us how bad things are, and to add to their own addictive mindsets, they run a constant scroll at the bottom of the screen with other so called news of importance. Who would be the first one to delete that redundant scroll? No one. It means money. The phrase Breaking News once caught our attention. Now even in the midst of an ever increasing world of possible violent eruption, these people will use it even for the death of a Hollywood celebrity. Phones, computers and I Pads allow constant access to the mind numbing repetition of the day. We are inundated with fake news, followed by the response of those who try to corroborate it or expose it.  We see so much evil and conniving right in our living rooms that we start to ignore it rather than try to take a stand against it.

We voted for people who should be looking out for our interests but instead lie to us and look for ways to use us. Everything starts to sound like a bad report, or if there is a good report, you are sort of waiting for the other shoe to drop. Where you once tried to look at the bright side, now you are constantly skeptical. Who do you trust? Even the hope you once had in God starts to erode. Those hooks that have entered into your psyche tainted with toxins are allowed to remain as the fear of the pain of removing them is too much to bear. So we start to change.

Our anger at how we felt things/life was supposed to go, make us jaded. We forget the precepts the Lord showed us that we should follow. Now we follow anyone with a promise, no matter how unrealistic or no matter how unscriptural the character of the one delivering the words. You decide to compromise your principles to get what you feel is needed. The ends justify the means. Too many Christians seem to have no problem using Satan’s weapons to further His Kingdom. All will see the folly of that. It will backfire. Only light repels darkness. Many seem to forget that it is our responsibility to keep our heart right with God. It doesn’t matter if religious leaders have become so much a part of the world that it seems many are unrecognizable from those who cause you to feel this way. The Lord told us to always be vigilant. There would be sheep in wolves’ clothing amongst you. But He said regardless of the trouble, to be of good cheer because He has overcome the world.

Many feel like the one referred to in the Pink Floyd song, “When I was a child I caught a fleeting glimpse, out of the corner of my eye. I turned to look but it was gone. I cannot put my finger on it now. The child is grown. The dream is gone. I have become comfortably numb.” We think things have passed us by. The pain and hurt endured has irreparably scarred us. Things just seem out of focus and beyond our grasp. We become isolated from that which is our only refuge. We cannot allow circumstances to afflict us to such a degree that we are useless or feel life is stacked against us. We have to stand and fight. Do not care if you upset the powers that be in this country or in the church. If you are in Him, what you say will be reflected in your discourse. But that’s the key. You need to be grounded in His truth.

It says in Psalm 37 to trust in the Lord. To commit your ways to Him. In Psalm 42 the psalmist says, “Why are you so downcast, O my soul? Why are you so disquieted within me?” Yet he answers himself and says, “Hope in God. For I shall yet praise Him. The help of my countenance and my God.” Trust in God. Walk in His love and watch how things can change. His grace is even now being poured out in unprecedented amounts. Grab hold of it. Boldly approach the throne of grace and expect to obtain mercy and find grace to help in your time of need. (Hebrews 4:16) Blessings.

Psalm 24:1 says, “The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein.” The Passion Translation of the same verse say it all belongs to Him. He’s the one who separated the waters from the land and planted firm foundations for this place we call earth. The earth always feels His presence and cannot forget the perfection with which it was formed, but somehow man in his selfishness has forgotten.

In Genesis 1, God said He created man in His image. He gave them dominion over the earth, over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth. God called all these things good. We were made to have authority over all the earth but as HE would. We were made to follow Him and be in communion with Him and if this was done in accordance with His plans all would be in proper balance and harmony. But in order for that to work man must walk in understanding and love. The original intent was for us to rule as He would. The earth would not wear out. There would be abundance for all and extinction of His creation would not be a concept to be discussed. This divine order could only work if man followed His plans and was interacting with God in all facets of life. But man has chosen chaos and disorder. The perfect rules were rejected and a mind ruled by the removal of God in our plans became the order of the day. Greed has become the motivating force of man.

In Leviticus 25, we see God knew what was in the heart of man and set up rules for him to follow that would save the earth. He said six years man would sow your land and six years you’d gather the fruit from it. BUT in the seventh year there would be a Sabbath rest unto the Lord for the land. During that year you shall neither sow your field nor prune your vineyard. But what grows of its own accord during that seventh year can be eaten by all who live in the land, including those who don’t own the land, and foreigners, and your livestock, and wild animals. It is a Sabbath rest unto God but what the land volunteers of itself can be eaten. Those who worried about not having enough in the seventh year were assured by God that by following His laws, you’d receive a blessing in that the land in the sixth year which would bring forth enough produce for three years. Yet we did not heed the promise. We were given the ability to create and reproduce, but we use these gifts for greed not good. So things are now out of control and we are seeing a paradise being lost. We forget the eternal and look at the now.

So we see the deforestation of the earth. A balance He put in order which would cleanse the air of carbon dioxide and other pollutants has been negated. Trees that absorb rainfall and release water vapor into the air to lessen pollution and replenish aquifers to water crops, are no longer there. Soil held in place by trees is washed or blown away. Erosion becomes rampant and silt enters our sources of water. The dustbowl of the 1930s in America taught us nothing. Haiti has lost over 95% of its trees. The earth can replenish itself to a degree even with all the destruction we’ve brought but we will not stop. Even now we are seeing people put in charge of government departments that care nothing in regard to trying to right these catastrophic practices. That might mean losing money.

Greed has caused chemical companies to come to the rescue so crops can grow even though the earth has said no. So we produce something that is causing more harm to the earth and to us each day. Many pesticides and herbicides are being used to increase crops and thereby profits. And people ignorantly defend these methods while something as divinely special and simple as His creation to pollinate crops is dying. The bee. Scientists have found that the pollen bees bring back to their hive is contaminated by these chemicals making the bee unable to fight infection caused by it or to then resist parasites. Some wise beekeepers will not allow those who use these chemicals to rent their bees. But big agribusiness has clout and political connections. They hire their own people to refute actual facts and have made it so many can no longer produce without these chemicals. If you ask many who are in position in Congress to help fight this, they say they cannot say for sure that these so called dangers are real as they are not scientists. Yet they ignore the scientists. These people are bought and paid for. And rather than try to get the world working together to clean our air, land and water, they remain blind as to what is bound to happen and care nothing to the inheritance we leave to our children. They have made a deal with the devil and there is a price to pay for that. We are to make no covenant with evil. Hosea 4:6 says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” But this is willful disobedience. We see the results of the pillaging of our earth right before our eyes. In some areas even your nose will tell you what is wrong because of animals penned together in horrendous quantities so they cannot move and fouling land and water with excess waste that cannot be dealt with. And to remedy the problem of dying animals caused by this evil manifestation of greed, we feed them antibiotics, which we then ingest and which goes into our water supplies. We pay the price for this. Innocent or not. We are at the point that these practices have helped lead to the increase of antibiotic resistant bacteria. And the large pharmaceutical companies have no interest in finding new antibiotics as it is deemed cost inefficient.

The evil we see being perpetrated throughout the earth is but a reflection of mans’ inability to come into union and rest with Him who created this earth for us. It was made perfectly. But we have exercised our will to the point of spiritual blindness and to using the power He gave us to do good and allowing greed and power to be the motivating force destroying our planet. In Romans 8, we can hear the earth cry out for the return of that which is true and in right order. It was made by God and was in total oneness and agreement with Him. A veritable Eden. To know perfection and then be like this is unimaginable. Creatures and creation groan in expectation for His return. As Jesus said, all creation praises Him. Yet why does man not know what the earth and animals know? He says in Revelation 11 that He will judge those who destroyed the earth. What we see is out of order. Have no part in it. Be part of the solution whenever and wherever you can. Ignorance and apathy are never an excuse. Stand.

My prayer is that we ask Him as the psalmist did, to teach us good judgment and knowledge. Cause us to hear the way in which we should walk and help us acknowledge His loving kindness that is still here for us each day. Teach us to do your will in being good stewards of that which you have put in our hands. Revive us. Lead us. In your mercy, forgive us. Blessings.

Mules have been around for ages. Even in the wild, a female horse can mate with a male donkey. Man has overseen the mating of horse and donkey to produce an animal that can carry more weight . They are sturdier than a horse and need less care when it comes to diet and living conditions. A horse, though, is easier to ride and a horse will follow blindly with its rider into battle. They know the bugle sound calling them into battle. A mule has much more of an ingrained sense of self-preservation and are often unwilling to place themselves in danger no matter how much the rider will try to urge them on. A charging cavalry would find themselves on an animal not as agile and quick and likely to be disobedient when trying to get them to go forward into danger.

A major characteristic of mules is that there is a mismatch of genetic material. The main way to get another mule is to mate a horse and donkey again. Mules are usually sterile. Births that come to term are rare. Sometimes a mule can get pregnant, but the embryo develops for just a few days and then dies because it lacks the genetic instruction to develop further. Mules can be useful to man for the best inherited traits from both the horse and donkey, but in the world of man, a person that takes on the characteristics of a mule is not useful to the Kingdom.

The most common trait seen here would be the inability to reproduce. This is often because of greed and selfishness. Me first. We see in the world of business and finance that a common characteristic is again greed, but also hoarding. One can never have enough. They store up for themselves treasures where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. Where their treasure is, there the heart of that one is seen. (Matthew 6:19) It seems that no amount of money is enough and anything is fair game if it will produce a profit. I find it ironic that some like Buffet and Gates who are seen as ultra liberal by the religious community, are the ones that are divesting themselves of their wealth to help others. They seem to have a better sense of what to do with stored up treasures. They reproduce through their humanitarian efforts, while others remain sterile but think they are rich.

The same with politicians. They were given the responsibility to represent our interests, but seem to only look after their own. They have set up for themselves individual kingdoms. Set for life. Misusing and abusing money entrusted to them to wisely use. They work to ensure their future from day one in office, yet fail to remember why they were elected. Some still try to stand for what is right, but it is often a losing battle and God help them if they upset the apple cart. Billions have been stolen and no one is ever held accountable. People look to social security and health care and find the cupboard nearly bare. Yet those who took an oath to represent us have pensions and health care for life. Promises have just become ways to get elected.  Seldom are they seen manifest. Again, too many people that are sterile. They only produce a culture of more people only out for themselves.

Religious leaders are not exempt from producing too many mules. They go out of their way to forge alliances with those in power. It is just as much of an aphrodisiac to them as it is to the politician or businessman. Things that happen today with the alliance of politics and the church make them seem to be interchangeable. Too many in the church have forgotten what the Lord said in Mark 8:36-37 “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” Too much of the gospel has been neglected. What they don’t understand or are able to reckon with, they discard. This, in too many cases, has become a business. And the common man cannot afford it. For many, I would ask, “What are you producing?” Many are more interested in having followers than making disciples. In the Old Testament, Micah rebuked all in leadership in the church and business who used social and political power for personal gain. He summed up what we are to do in Micah 6:8 when he said, “What does the Lord require of you but to do justly, To love mercy,  And to walk humbly with your God?” The Lord said in Matthew 23:12 “ Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

We are to make disciples whether it is in politics, business or the church. We can and should reproduce that which is seen as good. That which brings life. That which causes many to look and see what is it that compels us to be selfless and not selfish. But too many feel they are doing quite well right where they are. In Revelation 3: 17-20, the Lord tells us to buy from Him gold refined by fire. But they felt they were rich and had need of nothing. The Lord tells them they are unaware that they are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. He then offers life and He stands at the door and knocks. Hear His voice and open the door. Invite Him in. See that the ways of selfishness has no good end.

Paul tells us in Titus 2 that His grace has appeared to all men and it brings salvation teaching us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and that we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present age. We are to do the same thing today. Put off that which will only cause separation from Him, to the point you become so used to how you do things, you no longer realize the distance between you and Him. Seek Him while He can be found. He is the only way. I pray a spirit of wisdom for all. Blessings.

Christmas of 2015, I was recuperating from by-pass surgery. I looked at the long line of staples used to close up the wound on my chest. Not where I wanted to be. I so prayed that healing would come from God supernaturally and that I would not need doctors to repair my arteries. But I reflected on my blessings and the family I have that was and is there for me. There are still things that cause health problems due to this atherosclerosis that affects the vessels in my body, but I press on and fight. I fight by means of the grace that He gives me. And I ask for liberal portions of it daily coupled with mercy and revelation. So I spent much of that Christmas in reflective prayer and sitting before him listening.

I spend this Christmas season in contemplating all that has transpired over the last year and that which I see as problematic, as so many seem to have lost sight of who it is we serve. This gift the Father had prepared for us since the foundation of the world is so easily missed in its magnitude. We celebrate the birth of His Son without fully realizing that His death was already set. He came to die for us that we, through Him, might have life eternally. Christ was not of this world, yet gave up His place in the Trinity because of His deep and abiding love for us and because there was no other way for us to be saved. The word became flesh for us.

We see it prophesied in Isaiah 7:14 and 9:6 that the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and shall call His name Immanuel (God with us) and unto us this Child shall be born and His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace. But later in chapter 53, Isaiah tells us this Child will bear our griefs and carry our sorrows. He will be stricken and afflicted, wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement that brought us peace was upon Him and by His stripes we are healed. He was born into this world KNOWING what would be the price He must pay for us. Christmas is not just about the birth. What are we missing?

Wise men from Persia followed a star to worship before the messiah. They were astrologers. Today they might be rejected by a close minded church. A man named Simeon waited his whole life knowing he’d not see death before he would see and prophesy over the Child, as did Anna, a prophetess who served God faithfully, and saw her reward. Yet with all this knowledge available, and the whole world testifying of His glory, we seem to be inundated with discordant notes. What is this? Too many in the church follow after that which offers promises, but is not the promise. That which offers the way, but is not the light. Paul warned us in Colossians 2:8 “to beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.” Yet so many still follow things that entice their soulish realm. You try to decide which sins are acceptable and which leader has sins that are the least problematic for you. I do not recognize this God being put forth as my Redeemer. I do not follow a God that limps! Yet too many will take on a limp and no longer even recognize it as a major spiritual handicap.

We must embrace the One that is the light and provides a path for us to walk in. Can you truly be that lowly stable that Christ can take up residence in? We are called to be His temple. What is this that you see this Christmas season? It is only Him. We celebrate Him giving us His only son. He asks that you not only receive Him but so embrace Him that you give up the right to yourself. There is no other way to be His habitation. Seek Him while He may be found. Call upon Him while He is near.

This has been a trying year and it does not appear that it will abate. I pray that the God of love and peace be with you and guide you in all that you do. I pray His thoughts be what floods your mind. I pray everything that is contrary to His will for your life is taken captive to the obedience of Jesus. May the peace of God rule in your heart in all circumstances. He who has called you is faithful. I pray the Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace. Walk in His blessings. Merry Christmas.

In my last posting, I spoke of three separate videos of sheep in life threatening situations and quoted from the Passion Translation of John 21 where Jesus tells Peter to take care of His sheep. In Matthew 13 of the Passion Translation, Jesus answers the disciples’ question as to why He speaks in parables. He tells them they have been given insight into the hidden truths and mysteries of heaven’s kingdom, but others have not. He says that all who listen with an open heart will receive more revelation. But those who don’t listen with an open and teachable heart, even the understanding they have will be taken from them. Tough word, but if one looks to how many are following wrong paths and teachings today, it seems obvious that their hearing and understanding has become compromised.

I spoke of one lamb stuck in a crack in the earth. That crack represented words and messages spoken by many religious leaders which have become intertwined with messages of the world and are then forced into the body, leaving destruction similar to that caused by fracking. I wrote of this in my posting of Nov 15, 2016 titled “Forecast.” This mixture of the wisdom of the world intermingled with what that of the Kingdom brings forth is a pollution that causes one to get spiritually sick. Resulting seismic and spiritual fractures can cause one to lose their way and result in great harm.

The adult sheep that fell into a hole was in so deep only his back feet were visible. It was drawn in by a lie that was so insidious that without intervention, the sheep would have died. That hole was the remnant of basic tenets of our faith that have become eroded by half- truths and enticements offering a better and easier way to receiving abundant life. Those tenets were like giant redwoods, majestic in their beauty and truth, cut down to make way for a new gospel which counteracts that which we read in Proverbs 4 that tells us to avoid a wrong path and not walk in a way that is contrary to His way. But that the path of the just is like a shining sun as opposed to a path of darkness that will cause us to stumble. The resulting hole left by the removal of a righteous truth left a whispering spirit that beckons to those who have become jaded by false teaching and they fall in. Only His grace and mercy will rescue them.

The adult sheep that was stuck in the mud pit was difficult to extricate. The more it struggled the deeper it went down into the mud. This mud represents all the anger, wrath, malice, hatred, distrust of anyone you consider different, racism, sexism and believing that if no one takes you to task for treating others badly, that you’ll be fine. You will not. The unrighteous ways of man may seem right to some, but their end is destruction. All these vile traits just create a hole filled with toxic mud. Until you’re in it, you are totally unprepared for how deep it is and how it will pull you down. We have seen over a year of this, and it continues still.  I am amazed that people I know to be Christians have been taken in by these lies and do their part in adding to what is written and spoken that brings harm to the Kingdom. Do you realize that this only adds to the already existing contention and division?

God has called us to walk in truth even when it may cause us to take flak for standing in righteousness. God did not call us to follow anyone that speaks that which is contrary to His teachings. Sheep truly need to be shaken. They are walking toward a fracture in the earth, a hole left because righteous truth was removed, and a pit full of mud filled with that which is anathema to the teachings of Christ. It’s time for sheep to receive a reviving slap like Cher gave to Nicholas Cage in “Moonstruck” and hear the phrase “Snap Out Of It” so loud that they just might come to their senses! Proverbs 12:1 so perfectly states “Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, But he who hates instruction is stupid.”

I pray all sheep know and hear His voice and the voice of another they will not follow. Blessings.