Stand My Watch

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.

I happened to watch three similar videos on Facebook recently about sheep. In each video the sheep have fallen into a hole, a crack in the earth, or in a mud pit. Without being rescued, each would have probably died.

In the Passion Translation of John 21, Jesus is speaking with His disciple, Peter. He asks Peter if he “burns with love for Him?” When Peter answers, Jesus then tells him to take care of My lambs. Jesus again asks Peter “do you burn with love for me?” Peter answers as he did the first time and says “Yes, Lord, I have great affection for you.” Jesus then tells him to take care of His sheep. Finally Jesus asks Peter if he has great affection for Him. Peter finally answers, “Lord, You know everything. You know that I burn with love for You!” Jesus finally says, “Then feed My lambs.” In the Aramaic, it says Jesus is referring to the male, female and the young sheep. This command that Jesus gave Peter is also given to all who are in a position of shepherd, be it apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor or teacher. No matter what your position may be, the responsibility is the same.

Sheep can be quite stupid, as evidenced by the one sheep in a hole so deep only its back feet were visible. It was forcibly pulled out. The baby lamb was gently taken out and the sheep stuck in the mud pit took great effort to extricate. To me, this appeared analogous to what I STILL see with what Christians are speaking and writing, especially on social media, and they have run full steam into a pit of confusion and anger. It is unrelenting. And many Christian leaders are right there with them. Stuck in a pit of anger, being stirred up by a political and religious spirit. The blind leading the blind and both fall into the ditch. Are you aware of the spirit connected to all of this? Hate is hate. And what it breeds only brings destruction. This has been going on for over a year and it is not abating but is getting stronger.

You don’t shake a baby. That is shaken child syndrome. But those mature enough to know what the Word says need to be. Shaken sheep syndrome. And that includes many religious leaders. Who are you following? What kingdom are you building? Do you truly Burn with Love for the Lord? Do you know the awesome responsibility of caring for His sheep? If yes, then where are these words of continued division coming from? It says in Hebrews 12 that there will be a removal of things that can be shaken but that we have a Kingdom that cannot be shaken. Better for you to shake those things that have no business around you then be holding onto them when things are shaken by Him. Even Paul said in 1 Corinthians 4:21, “should I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?” Sheep are being led to places where many can fall in a pit. We need to test ourselves to see if we are walking as He directs us.

Pursue peace. Walk in holiness the best that you can. Stay on the right path regardless of the  path the world chooses. Or even if Christians follow that worldly path.  Ask Him, for He will give you understanding in all things. There is anger everywhere. We need to walk away from it as it will only pull us into a dangerous place. Blessings.

Predictions of what the future will bring, near or down the road, are as ubiquitous on the internet and facebook as cat and dog videos. And many of them are just as insightful. The discord of disagreeing opinions is unrelenting. Church leaders are still trying to show how their constant and repetitive predictions were correct and are adding attachments to their forecasting. Those who disagreed with these sentiments are saying why doom is imminent because of the outcome. Yet in the midst of all these messages of gloom and bright shiny days simultaneously, one thing is still missing. The church has yet to see the role it played in adding to the hate, division, and now this bitter animosity we see, and it continues to throw gasoline onto an already raging fire. Too much of “my side won” rather than prayer for His peace. Many say that they are not saying those things, but if you stand idly by with no response when others say hurtful and divisive things, then you’re part of the problem. I know that people on both sides of the issue are making polarizing statements, but the Church is supposed to be seen as a light in this world.

This is much like the practice of fracking. People want to get oil and gas out of the ground as quickly and cheaply as they can. So they force a mixture of water, sand, and dangerous chemicals into a crack in the earth’s structure. They get their oil and gas, but in the process they pollute drinking water, and the waste water from this has no place to go. Pressure builds up and seismic activity is induced, eventually causing an earthquake. Some areas have had drastic increases in earthquakes as well as an increase in the magnitude. This is analogous to what we see some are doing in the evangelical community. They are so intent on getting their message through that they pay no heed to the measures they use to be heard and of the consequences of their methods. Christ is usually absent from the ways many have chosen to align themselves to hate and discord. The ways justify the means. They celebrate what they feel is a victory, but the way in which this has been done has brought dishonor to Him. They have listened for the voice of God in the great wind that can tear apart mountains and feel they heard Him speak in the earthquake. They saw and heard directions in the fire of chaos, but they missed what He said in that still small voice. And He is still saying things in that still small voice for what may still come. But they’re listening to the storm, not to Him.

So the forecast says there is no lull after the storm. It still rages. There will be all types of inclement weather. It will be like watching the different tracks of computer models for a hurricane and the forecaster having no idea which one is correct. They will say a weather satellite is no longer in orbit so it’s just too hard to predict what this storm will do. Try speaking to it! Tell it to dissipate! Christians need to believe and show who He is in them. Quit following those who speak great swelling words of emptiness. They are like clouds without water. Behavior contrary to the teachings of Christ produces only division and ill will. Again, come out from among them and be separate. Quit fretting over every new thing you hear. As it so profoundly says in Psalm 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God.” Blessings.

The Passion Translation in Ephesians 4:21, 26-27 and 29 says “If you have really experienced the Anointed One, and have heard His truth, it will be seen in your life, for we know that the ultimate reality is embodied in Jesus. So be passionate! But don’t let the passion of your emotions lead you to sin! Don’t let anger control you or be fuel for revenge, not even for a day. Don’t give the slanderous accuser, the Devil, an opportunity to manipulate you. And guard your speech—never let ugly or hateful words come from your mouth, but instead let your words become beautiful gifts that encourage others; do this by speaking words of grace to help them.” And in Hebrews 12: 14-15 it says, “In every relationship be swift to choose peace over competition and run swiftly towards holiness…. and make sure no one lives with a root of bitterness sprouting within them which will only cause trouble and poison the hearts of many.”

 I’ve watched, read, and listened very closely to what Christians have been saying and writing for the last year. More and more, it just about became impossible to tell I was witnessing the words of those who were believers in Christ. I pray you take some time and reflect after this election cycle and see if there is anything you’d like to change in how you represented Him. We are supposed to walk as children of light. We will hopefully know tonight who our next President will be. We need healing. It’s up to us to pray.

 When I lived in Jupiter, FL, I had a place dedicated and bathed in prayer. As soon as I would sit there, both my dog and cat would immediately get as close as they could to the loveseat I always sat on. The presence of God would be there so quickly and they would not move no matter how long I sat there. They’d close their eyes and any external stimuli that would normally get their attention, was ignored. I’d spend time there each day. It became a place consecrated to the Lord and I’ve had trouble being able to recapture that since moving. There are things that have happened in my life that have caused me to lose focus, but this is still incumbent on me to recapture. I press on.

 In Genesis chapters 13 and 18, Abraham has an encounter with God by the terebinth trees of Mamre, which are in Hebron. He built an altar to the Lord at that place in dedication to Him. Abraham ministered to the Lord by bringing water to wash the feet of the Lord and the feet of the angels, and provided food and offering. We need a place that is just ours where we meet with the Lord. Dedicated to Him. In our hearts of course, but also a physical place where we wait in prayer. The terebinth tree was known for being a symbol of strength and power. One tradition, according to Josephus, says the tree was as old as the world itself. Angels came there. The terebinth tree had an extensive root system allowing it to remain green even in drought. All of this reflects Christ. We need to sit in His presence and listen to what He is saying. We need to be healed and refreshed from this season of ugliness. We need to repent. We need to be like that tree as it says in Psalm 1:3 “That is planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does will prosper.” We cannot prosper or do anything of worth for the Kingdom remaining like this. Find that place of solitude with Him. Plant your terebinth tree.  See how deep your roots will go.

Walk in the wisdom of God and make it your duty to make Him known. Let every word you speak be drenched with grace and tempered with truth and clarity. I pray peace and renewing in all of us. Blessings.