A Personal Relationship

Thursday, May 30, 2013, 5:45 a.m. – When I awoke this morning, the Lord Jesus put the song “That Man” in my mind. Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. I read John 10:1-30 (NIV): http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2010&version=NIV

“Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.

Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”

The Jews who heard these words were again divided. Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?”

But others said, “These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”

Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

Three Characters

In reading John 10 this time through, what stood out to me is that there are three main characters spoken of here: 1) The false shepherds, 2) The true shepherd, and 3) the sheep. So, this morning I believe the Lord Jesus would have me take a look at the characteristic traits of each one of these roles described here in this passage of scripture, and how they interrelate with one another.

False Shepherds

Jesus was talking with the Pharisees. He had just healed a man who was blind from birth, and the Pharisees took issue with both the man who had been healed and with Jesus who had healed the man on the Sabbath. Some of the Pharisees claimed that Jesus could not be from God because, in their opinion, he did not keep the Sabbath. Others wondered how he could heal a man blind from birth if he was not from God, so they were divided. The Pharisees insulted the man who had been healed, and they threw him out of the temple. Jesus came to the man, told him who he was, and the man worshiped him. Jesus told the Pharisees that they were guilty, not because they were blind, but because they thought they could see, and thus they would not humble themselves before God as did this man.

Then, he continued by telling them that if they did not come to God through faith in his Son, the true Shepherd, but if they entered into the fold of God through another way, perhaps through self-righteousness, pride, hypocrisy, institutional religion, and/or political gain, then they were just thieves and robbers. The thief, namely Satan, who works through human beings, comes into the fold only to steal and kill and destroy. In some cases, this is literal, i.e. there are false shepherds within our churches who are there to spy on true believers in Christ in order to hand them over to the authorities to be killed, or to destroy the work of God in and through their lives, i.e. to kill their testimonies for Jesus Christ, and/or to try to rob from them their joy and their victories in Christ. Others are there to destroy the gospel through dilution and manipulation of truth, to steal the life and fruit of the Spirit of God from the church through man-made religion, and to get rid of anyone who opposes them.

False shepherds are merely hired hands, so they have no sense of care or obligation or responsibility for the sheep. When these “hired hands” see the enemy (a wolf, in this case) approaching, they abandon the sheep and run away. It could be because they work for the wolf and the intention all along was and is to hand the sheep over to the wolf (the antichrist or the beast, perhaps). They may abandon the sheep physically and literally, yet I believe these false shepherds of the sheep desert the sheep spiritually on a daily basis when they dilute the gospel of Jesus Christ, when they put humanistic “Band-Aids” over serious sin, and when they lead their people (their flocks) to be followers of men more than followers of God/Christ. Much of this is so subtle and has taken place within the church over such a long period of time that most of the “sheep” don’t even know they’ve been duped by master manipulators, liars and deceivers (the attacks of the wolf).

The True Shepherd

In contrast to the self-serving false shepherds of the people (both in our governments and in our institutional churches) is the true shepherd, who laid his life down for the sheep. He is the gate (the way, the truth and the life) into God’s eternal kingdom, and he enters through the gate (the true way), i.e. he came from God, was called, sent and commissioned of God, and was and is divine, and has divine authority to be the true shepherd of the people.

The true shepherd calls his own sheep by name and he leads them out. He has an intimate and personal relationship with his sheep (his true followers). He knows each of us, and he cares about our individual needs. He speaks his words to our hearts, and he leads and guides us in the direction we should go. He will never leave us or forsake us. He will never placate our sin or give us the impression that our sin doesn’t matter, but he will always provide a way out from underneath temptation to sin, and he will always forgive us when we come to him in humility, confessing and repenting of our sin. After all, he went to the cross so we could be free from the control of, and slavery to, and the eternal punishment of sin, so he has a lot invested in our freedom from sin. His grace freed us, not to continue in sin, but to walk in righteousness and in the light of his love and truth.

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. No one enters heaven with God except through him. He is the ONLY way! And, true faith in him is the ONLY way. We cannot get to heaven through good works, through following a set of rules, or through our own self-righteousness and self-efforts. Jesus Christ paid the price for our sins, and it is only through faith in him that we can be saved from our sins and have eternal life. Jesus said that if anyone would come after him, he must deny (disallow) himself (his self-life) and take up his cross daily (die daily to sin and self) and follow (obey) him (Luke 9:23-25). Paul said that the way in which we come to know Christ is through forsaking our lives of sin, by being transformed in heart and mind (of the Spirit), and by putting on our new lives in Christ, “created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph. 4:17-24). And, John said that if we say we have fellowship with God, and yet we still walk (lifestyle) in sin, or if we say we love God and yet do not obey him, that we are liars and we do not live by the truth (see 1 John).

The Sheep

There is a personal relationship between the shepherd and his sheep (his followers). Following Christ is not following a religion, creed, doctrine, forms, practices, rituals, and/or traditions of men. It is not joining a social club or a religious institution. It is a relationship, just like we have with people in our lives in the flesh, only not in the flesh and much, much better! We can talk with our Lord just like we talk with our best friends or with our spouses, only he understands us completely, inside and out, and he does not judge us by human standards, for which I am very thankful! He is to be our first love, and we are to treat him just like we would treat a first love. We should want to share everything with him. He ought to be uppermost on our minds and hearts. And, we should desire to please him in all we do and say. We ought to look forward to our times with him each day, and we need to be much more passionate about wanting to sit at his feet and to learn from him each day than we are about the other “loves” of our lives who or which capture our attention and time.

When we are in intimate relationship with him, and our desire is to hear from him, then he can lead us in the way we should go. Christ’s true sheep listen to his voice, he knows them and they follow him. And no one will snatch them out of God’s hand. What this is saying is that if we are truly his sheep, we will desire to, and we will listen - not just with our ears, but with our hearts and minds and with the full intention of heeding what we hear - to Jesus speaking his words to our hearts. And, we won’t just listen, but we will follow through with obedience to what he shows us (what he teaches us) through his word. And, if we are doing that, then no robber should be able to snatch us away from pure devotion to our Lord or be able to deceive our minds with their lies and manipulations, but we will, in fact, run away from strangers. In other words, we should not sit week after week listening to the false shepherds of the sheep, but many do, to their shame. If we truly know Jesus, and we are truly in intimate relationship with him, listening to his voice and obeying what he teaches us, then we should not recognize the voice of strangers, but only the voice of our Savior.

That Man / An Original Work / May 23, 2013

Based off John 3:22-36

An argument between some men

Erupted out of resentment.

They came to John and said,

“That man is baptizing everyone.

They’re going to Him.”

So, John replied, “A man can

Only receive what is given him.

You yourselves can testify that

I said, ‘I am not the Christ.

I’m sent before Him.’”

The bride belongs to the bridegroom.

His friends await and watch for Him.

They are full of joy when they hear

His voice speaking words to them.

That now is our joy!

Jesus, the One who comes from heav’n –

He testifies of forgiveness.

Yet, so many do not trust in

His words, and do not repent.

They will face judgment.

The one who trusts in Jesus Christ

Has certified that God is truth.

Jesus Christ speaks the words of God.

Those who put their faith in Him,

Eternal life gain!

http://originalworks.info/that-man/

And Then I Could See

Wednesday, May 29, 2013, 6:45 a.m. – the Lord Jesus woke me with the song “In Faithfulness He Leads Me” playing in my mind. Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read John 9 (NIV): http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%209&version=NIV

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.

…They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath. Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.”

Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.”

…A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God by telling the truth,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.”

He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”

Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”

He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?”

Then they hurled insults at him… And they threw him out.

Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”

“Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”

Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”

Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.

Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.”

Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?”

Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.

But This Happened

In Psalm 139:16 we read, “… all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” In Rom. 8:29 we read, “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son…,” and in Eph. 1:11-12 we read, “In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.”

God has a plan and a purpose for each one of our lives. We may not always understand his purposes in the things we go through in this life, but he allows and permits and even plans our lives to go a certain way, and all for his purposes, will, and glory. And, that is what Jesus expressed concerning the man who was born blind. He was not born blind as a result of his or his parents’ sin, but so God could display his works in the man’s life. Awesome! And, he did that, too! That man had one of the greatest testimonies of faith I have ever heard, and yet so simple. I think sometimes we are reluctant to share our faith because we feel as though we don’t know enough, and yet this man just shared what he knew, and it wasn’t much, but what he shared was revolutionary! Once he was blind, and now he could see! Amen! He didn’t have all the answers, but he knew Jesus changed his life. So cool!

So, what this teaches us is to trust in God’s purposes and plans for our lives, even if we don’t understand everything that has happened or that is happening in our lives presently. This means that we yield to his purposes and that we choose to believe in him and to walk in faithful obedience to him even when we don’t understand everything, and even when we can’t see the light sometimes for the darkness. The light is still there, and the light (Jesus) will lead us and guide us into all truth, and will show us the way we should go.

Go and Wash

It was God’s will that this man be healed of his blindness, so Jesus spat on the ground, made mud, put it on the man’s eyes, and then told him to go and wash in the pool of Siloam. The man went and washed and came home seeing. I find this really interesting and intriguing as to the manner in which Jesus chose to heal this man. He could have just said, “Be healed,” or he could have just touched him and healed him. After all, he was (is) God! Yet, if we think in terms of the spiritual parallels to us being healed of spiritual blindness, it makes sense, for Jesus said that if anyone would come after him, he must deny himself (his self-life), take up his cross daily (die daily to sin and self), and follow (obey) him. In other words, faith is not just something we think or feel, but it is evidenced by what we do in response to what Christ did for us, and in obedience to Christ and to his commands.

Some people questioned how this man was healed of his blindness. Others doubted that this was the same man who used to sit begging. They asked him how his eyes were opened, so he told them what happened. Then, they asked the location of Jesus, but the man didn’t know. So, they brought him to the Pharisees, and they, too, questioned him. Jesus had healed this man on the Sabbath, which was a “No-no” in the eyes of the Pharisees, although they would circumcise babies and would rescue sheep on the Sabbath, so they were hypocritical in their judgments of Jesus, and just looked for reasons to accuse him because they didn’t like his messages, because they were hard messages, and because they exposed their own wickedness and threatened their power centers. Jesus said they were like white-washed tombs – clean on the outside, but inside they were full of greed and self-indulgence.

You Did Not Listen

Have you ever had someone ask you the same question several times even after you have answered the question each time? And, did you say to the person, “You are not listening!”? Well, that is the situation here between the blind man and the Pharisees. It wasn’t that they couldn’t hear the man, or that they didn’t physically hear the words coming out of the man’s mouth, but they weren’t really listening, i.e. it appears they didn’t like the answer so they hoped if they asked it again that maybe they would get a different response. Or, it could be they were just trying to intimidate the man because they could, and because they didn’t like it that Jesus had healed the man. So, when they didn’t get the response or answer they had hoped for, then they took to insulting the man. Yet, the man did not waver in his faith. Amen! He stood strong on the testimony, not only that Jesus had healed him, but that Jesus was obviously a righteous man, for if Jesus were not from God, he could not have healed him. Makes perfect sense! The man had simple child-like faith, and that faith saved him.

When we come to Jesus with that kind of child-like faith, and we believe his words to us, and we share the testimony of our heart transformation and of his true gospel, there will be those who will hate us, reject us, insult us, question our testimony, try to intimidate us, and some will even throw us out of their institutions (churches) of men. Yet, Jesus will be there for us, just like he was for the man he had healed of his blindness. He will teach us his ways, encourage our hearts, help us to grow in our faith, comfort us with his love and kindness, and he will open our blinded eyes so that we can see the light of life, have understanding of his truths, and so we can recognize the works of the evil one.

Are we blind too?

The Pharisees wanted to know if Jesus was saying that they were blind. I can imagine that his answer surprised them, for he told them that their guilt was not a result of their spiritual blindness, but a result of the fact that they were deceived into thinking that they could see, and thus they could not have their eyes opened, because they didn’t see their need for Jesus or for his salvation. They thought their own righteousness and their works would save them, despite the wickedness in their hearts, but they thought wrong. The only way we can come to salvation is to recognize our own spiritual blindness (our sin), and to acknowledge our need for the Savior and to be healed of our blindness, then, when we trust in Jesus, by faith, as did the man whom Jesus had healed, then we can say with the man, “Once I was blind, but now I see!” Once I was trapped in the pit of sin, but Jesus delivered me and he set me free, so I no longer have to be in slavery to sin but can walk in his righteousness!!

In Faithfulness He Leads Me / An Original Work / March 20, 2013

Based off Various Scriptures

(Ps. 26:3; 86:11; 91:4-5; 111:7-8; 119:73-76;

Is. 25:1,4&9; 42:6-7; Hos. 2:16-20)

Teach me Your ways, Lord, and I’ll walk in them.

Give me a pure heart. I’ll fear Your name.

Your love is always, ever before me.

Continually I’ll walk in Your truth.

You will cover me with feathers.

Under Your wings I’ll find refuge.

My Lord’s faithfulness will be my

Comfort and my shield.

The works of His hands are faithful and just.

Trustworthy are all of His precepts.

Your hands have made me, and they have formed me.

Give understanding of Your commands.

I have put my hope, O Lord, in Your word.

Your teachings, O Lord, are righteousness.

Lord, in faithfulness You have

Afflicted me so I may learn of

Your unfailing love and comfort

And Your truthfulness.

You are my husband; You have betrothed me

In love, compassion and faithfulness.

O Lord, You are my God, I’ll exalt You.

In faithfulness You’ve done wondrous things.

You’ve been a refuge for those who’re needy;

A shelter in storms; shade from the heat.

This is the Lord, we trusted in Him,

Let us be glad and rejoice

In His salvation which He

Provided through the Lamb.

Open the blind eyes; free all the captives.

Tell them of Jesus: “Be born again!”

http://originalworks.info/in-faithfulness-he-leads-me/

Light and Darkness

Tuesday, May 28, 2013, 6:55 a.m. – When the Lord Jesus woke me this morning he put the song “The Battle for Truth” in my mind. Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read John 8:12-59 (NIV): http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%208&version=NIV

Truth (Light)

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

…But he continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins.”

…To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

… “If you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then you would do what Abraham did.  As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. You are doing the works of your own father.”

…Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me. Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”

…Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death.”

…Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me. Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and obey his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.”

“You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!”

“Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.

As I read this passage of scripture this morning, what jumped out to me the most was the central message of truth. Jesus Christ is the light (truth) of the world, and whoever follows him will not walk in darkness (lies; deception; wickedness; sin). Jesus said that if we hold to (take firmly; retain; carry; remain; continue in) his teaching, we are really his disciples (followers; believers). Then we will know the truth, and the truth will set us free.

We will know the truth, because we walk (daily living; lifestyle; mode of conduct) in the light (Christ’s righteousness and holiness; truth) and we no longer walk in the darkness (wickedness, lies and deceptions), and because we obey and apply to our lives the truth we know. To not walk in darkness also means to not follow the ways (value system) of this world. We do this through the life of the Spirit within us when we choose to leave our lives of sin behind us and to follow our Lord Jesus wherever he leads us. The truth will set us free from slavery to sin and from the lies and deceptions of the enemy, i.e. the evil one (Satan).

The truth is that Jesus Christ is God the Son, the second person of our triune God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Father sent the Son to the earth to live, love, serve, witness, heal, minister and then to die on the cross for our sins so that we could be free. Those who say they love and worship God, must also love, serve and worship Jesus Christ, for he is God. We cannot love God or even know God if we do not love his Son. And, we cannot love the Father or the Son if we do not obey God’s commands given through the Son. We also cannot love God if we do not leave our lives of sin behind us, for scripture teaches that he who continues in sin does not know God (see 1 John). And, then going to verse 31, again, we read that Christ’s true disciples are those who continue in (in lifestyle) his teachings.

Lies (Darkness)

When the Lord Jesus woke me this morning he put these words and phrases in my mind: “Sanskrit; Obama; major players.”

Sanskrit is “an ancient language of India;” meaning “refined speech;” “the primary liturgical language of Hinduism;” “an official language of the state of Uttarakhand;” “a ceremonial language in Hindu religious rituals and Buddhist practice;” “the language thus codified was called sasktam, ‘put together, artificial;’” “a fixed literary language;” etc. Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanskrit; http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Sanskrit.

What stood out to me about this language is that it is mainly written; it is comprised primarily of dramas, poems, fiction, i.e. it is artistic in nature; it is cultured, polite; it is “developed to or possessing a high degree of precision and effectiveness” (see Encarta definition for “refined”); it is related to false religions and false gods and the worship of such; it is the official language of Uttarakhand (in India), which is “often referred to as the ‘Land of the Gods;’” it is ceremonial (like for a wedding) or ritualistic; and it is “an expression or idea that is repeated.” The phrase “speak the same language” came to mind which means to have similar ideas. And, language itself rendered “a systematic means of communicating ideas or feelings; a formal system of signs and symbols.” Source: Encarta.

Contained within this Sanskrit are references to a Sphinx (man-beast). I noted that the Sphinx is a Freemason symbol, as well - SPHINX: Ancient Egyptian and Babylonian guardian of sacred places --an idol with human head and a lion's body. See: http://www.radioliberty.com/Symbolsandtheirmeaning.html. Also, “The word swastika is derived from the Sanskrit svastika, meaning any lucky or auspicious object, and in particular a mark made on persons and things to denote good luck” (Wikipedia article 2007). The swastika has been coming to the forefront lately related to a revival of a Hitler-like regime (or a revival of the Roman Empire), alias the Beast of Revelation (including a man-beast) and/or the New World Order. Also contained within this Sanskrit are references to a Messiah-like figure who is to come, which would symbolize the antichrist.

So, the Lord, I believe, is tying together the symbolism, associated with this language, with Obama and “major players.” I Googled “major players” and that rendered the major players of the cold war, which were the US and Russia (USSR) or the US/NATO (primarily England/UK and France) and Russia (USSR). That reminded me of the P5+1 of the UN Security Council – US, France, UK, Russia, and China plus Germany. They have often shown up in the news over the past four years as the negotiators between the New World Order (the international community) and countries throughout the world who were purportedly going through political uprisings and/or financial or “natural” disaster crisis.

What stood out to me about all of this is completely consistent with what the Lord Jesus has been showing me for some time now. Most of what we read in the news (the written language) is comprised of lies, fiction, story-telling, and dramas for the entertainment, distraction and deception of the people, particularly here in America where so many are asleep and not really paying attention to what is really going on in the world around us. The wording in these stories is deliberate, precise and for the purpose of full effectiveness, i.e. to deceive and to manipulate people’s minds and emotions. It is the language of false gods and the worship of false gods, i.e. it is the language of Satan, who is a liar and the father of lies (his native language). It also uses signs and symbols to communicate messages, which the New World Order (illuminati; freemasons) love to do. It is also the language of the Beast, with this swastika symbolic of the mark of the beast on a person.

This is the language of the “Land of the gods” and of the New World Order and Obama and these “major players.” “Land of the gods” reminded me of a previous writing about a new movie that had come out concerning a fictional story about an attack on Washington D.C. The movie was called Olympus Has Fallen. Olympus (mythology) – “In Greek mythology Olympus was regarded as the "home" of the Twelve Olympian gods of the ancient Greek world. It formed itself after the gods defeated the Titans in the Titan War, and soon the palace was inhabited by the gods.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Olympus

In reading the news today I saw two possible news stories related to this. One is the story about the goings-on inside Syria and the plots of Russia and the US and the UK and France (the major players) to try to resolve the crisis there. What I believe the situation there to be is truly the same as with all these other countries with uprisings, serious “natural disasters” or serious financial crisis, and that is the story of the squirrels. First you knock the squirrels out of the tree, and then you save them. In other words, our government and their allies (NATO/UN) first of all create these crisis in other countries (and inside the US, too), and then they go in as the “saviors” to try to solve the crisis and to bring about a resolution, which all along was to bring these nations (and the US) underneath a one world rule of order, alias the New World Order, and/or alias the beast of Revelation and the antichrist. 

Truth vs. Lies

So, this is why it is SO critical that we are in the word of God, that we are listening to Jesus Christ, that we are praying for wisdom and understanding of world events, and that we NOT believe everything we read or hear in the news or from our political leaders in our countries. We need to know the truth so that the truth can set us free from bondage to sin, but also free from deception and manipulation of our enemy Satan, who works through these political leaders and through the news media. So, when you read or hear anything in the news, it is CRITICAL to take everything to the Lord in prayer, asking him what is truly going on, so that we don’t fall prey to the traps of the evil one.

The Battle for Truth / An Original Work / May 18, 2013

Based off Malachi 1-4

I love you. Honor me.

Tell the truth. You’ll be free.

Sing My praise all your days.

I will give all you need.

Turn from sin; cleansed within.

Stand in awe of My Name.

Teach what’s true. Walk in peace.

Follow Christ, in His ways.

Show to God faithfulness.

Do not be adult’rous.

Do not shed shallow tears.

Do not be insincere.

I have sent messengers,

Who have giv’n my address.

They call for repentance,

And they warn of judgment.

I, the Lord, do not change,

So return – blessings gain:

Healing comes; joyfulness;

Freedom from your distress.

http://originalworks.info/the-battle-for-truth/

Teach Me Your Ways

Monday, May 27, 2013, 4:30 a.m. – After I woke this morning, the Lord Jesus put the song “In Faithfulness He Leads Me” in my heart and mind. Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read John 7 (NIV): http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%207&version=NIV

As I read and prayed through this passage of scripture, trusting the Lord Jesus to give me his understanding, the Lord led me to look at some of the examples he set before us concerning “his ways,” by which we should learn and seek to follow in his footsteps. The following describes some of those ways modeled for us by the life of Jesus.

God’s ways, not man’s ways

After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not want to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders there were looking for a way to kill him. But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles was near, Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do. No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” For even his own brothers did not believe in him.

Therefore Jesus told them, “My time is not yet here; for you any time will do. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that its works are evil. You go to the festival. I am not going up to this festival, because my time has not yet fully come.” After he had said this, he stayed in Galilee.

Humans will always have their ideas of who we should be, what we should believe and practice, how we should behave, the kind of work we should do, how we should spend our time, and what we should say or not say, etc. And, they may even try to impose their value systems, their theologies, and/or their humanistic teachings, logic and reasoning upon us. To a certain degree we are all subject to other humans in that we must obey those in authority over us, we must work and live with others, and we should try to live peacefully with all people, as much as it is within our power to do so. Yet, we must not live our lives to be pleasing to humans in that we compromise who God created us to be, what he has called us to do, or the beliefs and standards taught us in scripture. We must answer to a higher authority, namely God. And, we must live to please him above all else, even if it means being hated by worldly people (even other Christians) because of our stand for Christ.

Give credit where credit is due

Not until halfway through the festival did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach. The Jews there were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning without having been taught?”

Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me. Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him. Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?”

When we read or study the scriptures it should not be for the purpose of gaining intellectual knowledge, to impress people with our learnedness, and/or to win Biblical arguments. When we read and study the scriptures, we should always pray for the Holy Spirit of God to open our minds and hearts to hear from him, and for him to give us the understanding and practical application he would have us receive from the scriptures that day. The word of God is not just a manual (rule book) for Christian living or a history book. The word of God is God-breathed and it is alive and active! It encourages, strengthens, convicts, comforts, teaches, exhorts and trains us in righteousness. Because it is alive and active, and because Jesus is alive and his Spirit lives within us, God still speaks to his people today, applying his truths to our circumstances, guiding us in the way we should go, giving direction, the calling of God on our lives, wisdom, discernment, and speaking his truths to our hearts.

So, when we share the scriptures, we should share the understanding given to us by the Holy Spirit of God, to the best of what we comprehend. We should not teach our own humanistic philosophies, but we should share as we have been taught by the Lord. If we speak in our own human wisdom and reasoning, then the glory goes to us, but if we speak what we have heard from the Lord, then we speak for the glory of God, and we should always give him all the glory, honor and praise. Most importantly, we should live what we say we believe, because actions speak louder than words. We should not study just for knowledge, and we should not study, as well, just to teach others, but when we learn from the Lord at his feet each day, we should apply his truths to our lives – to our attitudes, thoughts and behaviors, which should be daily guided by the Spirit, not by our own flesh.

In Faithfulness He Leads Me / An Original Work / March 20, 2013

Based off Various Scriptures

(Ps. 26:3; 86:11; 91:4-5; 111:7-8; 119:73-76;

Is. 25:1,4&9; 42:6-7; Hos. 2:16-20)

Teach me Your ways, Lord, and I’ll walk in them.

Give me a pure heart. I’ll fear Your name.

Your love is always, ever before me.

Continually I’ll walk in Your truth.

You will cover me with feathers.

Under Your wings I’ll find refuge.

My Lord’s faithfulness will be my

Comfort and my shield.

The works of His hands are faithful and just.

Trustworthy are all of His precepts.

Your hands have made me, and they have formed me.

Give understanding of Your commands.

I have put my hope, O Lord, in Your word.

Your teachings, O Lord, are righteousness.

Lord, in faithfulness You have

Afflicted me so I may learn of

Your unfailing love and comfort

And Your truthfulness.

You are my husband; You have betrothed me

In love, compassion and faithfulness.

O Lord, You are my God, I’ll exalt You.

In faithfulness You’ve done wondrous things.

You’ve been a refuge for those who’re needy;

A shelter in storms; shade from the heat.

This is the Lord, we trusted in Him,

Let us be glad and rejoice

In His salvation which He

Provided through the Lamb.

Open the blind eyes; free all the captives.

Tell them of Jesus: “Be born again!”

http://originalworks.info/in-faithfulness-he-leads-me/

Finish His Work

Saturday, May 25, 2013, 7:00 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put the song “Nothing Can Separate Us” in my mind this morning as I was getting up out of bed to have my quiet time with the Lord. Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read John 4:31-38 and John 5 (NIV). http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%204&version=NIV; http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%205&version=NIV

The Will of God

“My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.”

The will of God for each one of us is that we finish HIS work here on earth, too. We read in 1 Co. 15:58: “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” Paul referred to a great door for effective work that God had opened for him, but that there were many who opposed him. He said that Timothy was carrying on the work of the Lord, just as he was (see 1 Co. 16). Paul, as well, described the ministry of the apostles in this way: “Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love…” (2 Co. 6:4-6).

We read in Ephesians 4 about the body of Christ and how it works: “From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” And, we receive this encouragement in Phil. 1:6: “In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” And, in Phil. 2 we read this: “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.”

Before Jesus left the earth, he commissioned his disciples to go into all the world and to make disciples (followers of Christ) of all nations, baptizing, and teaching them to obey all that Jesus Christ commanded them, and he would be with them always (see Mt. 28:18-20). He also told them that after he left he would send the Holy Spirit to come and to live within each one of them, and when they had received the Spirit they would be empowered from on high to be his witnesses throughout the world (see Acts 1:8). Then we read in Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, and Ephesians 4 concerning the gifts of the Holy Spirit and the parts of the body of Christ. We learn here that the Spirit distributes the gifts as he determines, and that God has placed the parts of the body just as he wanted them to be, and that he has assigned each one of us a task (function; part).

So, we are all assigned the task of taking the gospel throughout the world and of working together as a body to encourage and strengthen one another in Christ Jesus, our Lord. And it is the Spirit within us who gives us all we need, and who accomplishes God’s work in us.

Great Opposition

During Jesus’ time of ministry here on the earth he healed the sick, bound up the injured, preached freedom to the captives (slaves to sin), and shared the gospel of salvation to all who would listen. Yet, he faced much strong opposition to his ministry, and most of that came from the leaders within the Jewish faith. They frequently chided him for healing on the Sabbath. His response to them was: “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” Because of this, the passage states, the Jewish leaders tried to kill him. That is some pretty fierce opposition. They persecuted him, not only because they believed he was breaking the Sabbath, but because they felt he was making himself equal with God.

Jesus responded to their opposition by letting them know that he could do nothing by himself, but only what he sees his Father doing. And, the same applies to us. We cannot do the work God has assigned us to do here on this earth apart from his Spirit within us working in and through us for his glory, as we cooperate fully with that work. Whatever Jesus did, we should do also. We will never be completely sinless like he was, but we should also never use that as a conditioned excuse to continue in willful sin. Jesus Christ came to set us free from the control of sin, and he will give us all we need to flee sin and to walk in faith.

Jesus said that whoever hears his word and believes in the Father who sent him has eternal life and will not face the final judgment of hell. Then, he spoke briefly on the subject of a future period of time when (at his second coming) the dead will rise – some to eternal life and some to eternal condemnation. He told his listeners that the Father had given him authority to judge, and that his judgment is just, for he sought not to please himself but him who sent him. He also told them that if they did not honor the Son (himself), that they did not honor the Father who sent him. So, he was telling them that he was God, and that he was their promised Messiah, Savior and judge, and without faith in him, they would not have eternal life. And, for that they persecuted and eventually killed him.

Jesus told them that the works that the Father had given him to finish testify that the Father had sent him, but that they had never heard God’s voice nor did his word dwell in them, for they did not believe in the one the Father had sent, namely Jesus Christ. The Jewish leaders studied the Scriptures diligently because they thought by doing so that they would gain eternal life. Jesus said: “These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.” He told the leaders that he knew them, that they did not have the love of God in their hearts, and that they did not accept him, even though he came in his Father’s name. Yet, if someone came in his own name, they would accept him. Isn’t this so true today? So many people, even church leaders, believe the testimony (wisdom) of man over the testimony of Christ and his gospel. And, they frequently will engage in persecution of those who do believe in and who share the true gospel of Christ.

Jesus said that we would be hated because of him, but we are blessed when humankind hates us, excludes us, insults us and rejects our names as evil because of Jesus. Jesus said, in fact, that we would be hated just like he was hated. He told his brothers that the world could not hate them, but that it did hate him because he testified that its works were evil. He said we would be arrested on false charges, persecuted, and handed over to the authorities, for if they persecuted him, they will persecute us, too. We are certainly not God, as was Jesus, but God (by his Spirit) is living within those of us who are Christ’s followers, and when we follow our Lord and do his will, and we finish HIS work here on this earth, we can expect to be treated much in the same way as what Jesus was treated, and by church people and church leaders, too. Yet nothing can ever separate us from Christ’s love within us – not hatred, persecution, opposition, trouble, hardship, famine, danger nor sword.

Nothing Can Separate Us / An Original Work / March 28, 2013

Based off Romans 8:28-39

Nothing can separate us

From Christ’s love now within us:

Not trouble, hardship, nor famine,

Nor danger, nor sword.

No, in all of these things

We are more than conquerors!

For your sake we face hardship.

We are sheep to be slaughtered.

I am convinced that death,

Nor life, nor anything else

Will separate us from

The love of God now in Christ.

What, then, shall we say to this?

God for us: who against us?

He who did not spare His Son

But gave Him for us all –

How will He not, with Him,

Graciously give us all things?

Who brings a charge against us?

God justifies His chosen.

Who is He that condemns?

Christ Jesus; died, rose again.

He’s at the right hand of God,

Interceding for us.

http://originalworks.info/nothing-can-separate-us/

That Man

Some of John’s disciples were envious of Jesus because, according to them, “That Man” was now baptizing people, and people were following him instead of following John. So, John set his disciples straight. He reminded them of what he had told them previously – that he was not the promised one to come, but he was merely sent to prepare the way for the bridegroom, Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah. As well, he told them that the bride (Christ’s followers) belonged to Jesus Christ, not to John. John was joyful because the one for whom he had been sent to prepare the way had now come, and so John had completed his mission. Jesus Christ was now to become greater, and John was to become less.

Then John shared with them the crux of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus was from heaven, and he was and is above all, i.e. he was and is God. Yet, he was and is rejected by those to whom he came with his message from God (from heaven). Though he spoke and speaks the very words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit, yet many reject Christ and his gospel of salvation, so all that awaits them is God’s wrath. Yet, for those who do accept Christ’s testimony, they certify that God is truthful. And, for those who believe and who put their faith in Jesus Christ, they are given the hope of eternal life with God.

That Man / An Original Work / May 23, 2013

Based off John 3:22-36

An argument between some men

Erupted out of resentment.

They came to John and said,

“That man is baptizing everyone.

They’re going to Him.”

So, John replied, “A man can

Only receive what is given him.

You yourselves can testify that

I said, ‘I am not the Christ.

I’m sent before Him.’”

The bride belongs to the bridegroom.

His friends await and watch for Him.

They are full of joy when they hear

His voice speaking words to them.

That now is our joy!

Jesus, the One who comes from heav’n –

He testifies of forgiveness.

Yet, so many do not trust in

His words, and do not repent.

They will face judgment.

The one who trusts in Jesus Christ

Has certified that God is truth.

Jesus Christ speaks the words of God.

Those who put their faith in Him,

Eternal life gain!

http://originalworks.info/that-man/

How Can This Be?

Wednesday, May 22, 2013, 6:52 a.m. – the Lord Jesus woke me with the song “In Harmony” playing in my mind. Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read John 3:1-21 (NIV): http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%203&version=NIV

Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”

Be Born Again

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”

“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’

Jesus had the advantage of knowing Nicodemus’ heart and mind, so he cut to the chase and addressed the real heart issue. Nicodemus was obviously seeking truth, so the Lord Jesus told him what he needed to hear, and what truly addressed the root of Nicodemus’ inquiry. He told him that if he wanted to see the kingdom of God, i.e. if he wanted to know Jesus and to partake in God’s eternal kingdom, then he had to be “born again” (from above).

Nicodemus, like any of us might have, thought in the natural and wondered how he could possibly be reborn physically. Don’t we often miss spiritual truths because we try to make natural sense out of them? Well, Jesus honored Nicodemus’ question, and he explained to him further what he meant. We are all born of water when we are born physically, but we also need to be born of the Spirit of God, which is a spiritual birth, not a natural one.

When we are born naturally, we begin as babies and, as the years go by, we learn and grow into mature adults, hopefully. When we are born spiritually, we begin a new life with Christ Jesus. We don’t just clean up the old life to make it look better, but we start over, putting our old lives of sin behind us, and allowing the Spirit of God to transform us into new creatures in Christ Jesus (like the change from a caterpillar into a butterfly); and we put on our new lives in Christ, “created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (see Eph. 4:17-24; Lu 9:23-25; Gal. 2:20; & Ro. 6). Then we begin to grow and to mature in Christ.

Accept the Testimony

“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

“You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”

It appears Nicodemus doubted Jesus’ words, because the Lord Jesus then chastised him (and the Jews) for not accepting the testimony of God. Nicodemus, because he was schooled in the scriptures, including the prophets, should have understood. We, too, can be dull of hearing even though we may not be lacking in knowledge. We need to pray that we will hear the Spirit’s voice speaking to our hearts, and be willing to hear spiritual truths even when they don’t make natural sense to us, at least they may not to our way of thinking and reasoning. And, it is essential that we accept the testimony of God/Christ.

Jesus then revealed himself to Nicodemus as not only the Son of God, but God himself who had come from heaven. And, then he told him, in essence, that just as the snake on a pole was a sign of healing to the people of Israel who looked on it (see Nu. 21), he would be raised up on a pole (a cross) to die, and those who would look upon him for healing, and who would believe in him, would be saved from their sins and would have eternal life.

Believe in Him

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

Jesus Christ, God the Son, came to earth, took on human flesh (as a newborn baby), suffered as we suffer, and was tempted as we are tempted, yet without sin. He healed the sick, bound up the injured, drove out demons, cared for the lost, and preached repentance and obedience for salvation and for eternal life with God. Then he died on the cross for our sins and he rose again, thus securing salvation from sin for all who believe.

It is by grace we are saved, through faith, and this is not of our own works lest we should boast in our flesh (see Eph. 2:8-9), yet that does not mean nothing is required of us. We must be born again, we must accept God’s testimony (his words to us), and we must believe in the name of the Son of God, Jesus Christ. To believe in someone’s name is to believe in his character and the totality of who he is, what he is about, what he teaches, and what he stands for. So, belief in Jesus is not an emotional decision or an intellectual assent, but it accepting into our lives the very life and essence of Christ as our Lord (master), and it is accepting his truths, as well, in all practical application to our daily lives (via obedience).

Walk in Truth

This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

Jesus is light and light is truth (revelation) - salvation, the gospel, and the scriptures. The light shines in the darkness (sin; wickedness; lies; deceptions) and the light exposes the darkness for what it is. Yet, many people prefer the darkness because their deeds are evil. And, evil is not necessarily all the really bad stuff, either, but it includes any thoughts we entertain or actions we perform knowingly contrary to God and his words (truth).

If we, with full knowledge, choose to do what we know is wrong, then our deeds are evil, too. If we are doing what we know is wrong by God’s standards, we will usually avoid the light of truth, because we won’t want our deeds to be exposed for what they are. Can you identify? I know what it is to knowingly avoid the word of God (truth) because I (past) wanted to do something I knew was wrong. I pray I will not do that ever again.

Yet, if we live by the truth of God’s words, and we love his words and desire nothing more than to walk in all of his truth in all of our ways, then we will have no fear of the light exposing what is truly in our hearts, because if any wickedness exists within us, we will want it exposed so that it can be eradicated from our lives. Does this describe where you are? If not, then why not? This is where every believer in Jesus Christ should be found. We should all hate what is evil, and cling to what is good, never lacking in zeal for our Lord.

In Harmony / An Original Work / September 2, 2012

Based off Ro. 12:9-21; 1 Pet. 3:8-15

Love each other truly.

Cling to what is good.

Hate all that is evil.

Never lack in zeal.

Serve the Lord with fervor.

Joyful in hope be;

Patient in affliction;

Praying faithfully.

Honor one another.

Live in harmony.

Share with all God’s people

Who are found in need.

Do not be conceited.

Sympathetic be.

Love, and show compassion

In humility.

Keep your tongue from evil.

Peaceful you must be.

Honor one another.

Live in harmony.

God sees who are righteous;

Listens to their prayers.

But He’s against evil –

Is His to avenge.

Do not fear what they fear.

Suffer patiently.

In your hearts, make Christ Lord.

Serve Him faithfully.

Honor one another.

Live in harmony.

http://originalworks.info/in-harmony/

A Commercial Venture

Tuesday, May 21, 2013, 6:44 a.m. – When I was getting ready to have my quiet time with the Lord this morning, he put the song “The Battle for Truth” in my mind. Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. I read John 2:13-25 (NIV): http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%202&version=NIV

When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?”

Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”

They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” But the temple he had spoken of was his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.

Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name. But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.

Experience

For the most part, during the years my (and my husband’s) four children were growing up, I was a stay-at-home mom. When they all reached adulthood, I decided to go back to work outside the home for pay. My first two jobs were both in the field of marketing and sales. I was an administrative (or personal) assistant, so I was involved in the preparation and distribution of marketing and sales materials. I had no previous experience in marketing or sales prior to this, to the best of my recollection. Then, I had a couple of church administrative assistant positions where I was able to put my newly learned marketing skills to good use in the making of church bulletins and in the editing, planning, development and distribution of church newsletters.

Ever since my husband and I were teenagers, we have both been involved in Christian ministry in and outside of the institutional church, with some gaps. We were involved in church planting twice as lay pastor and wife. Then, in 1999 the Lord Jesus led us to begin a ministry to college-age adults out of our home, though we did try connecting with several churches, too. This lasted seven years (until 2006). While in this process of working with these college-age adults and pursuing the direction of planting a church, I decided to take some classes at our local two year community college. I attended classes part-time between 2002 and 2006, and secured an entrepreneur certificate (just a little shy of a 2 year degree in business). I took mostly business classes, one of which was a marketing class.

So, it is with that experience under my belt that I am able to speak on this subject with some knowledge and understanding of what I’m going to share with you here. Yet, I trust the Lord Jesus to give me the words he would have me to share with you today.

Marketing and Sales

The word of God is alive and active, and it still speaks to our hearts - to our circumstances today. The Bible says that all scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness (see 2 Tim. 3:16). So, even though this is a historical event about the life of Jesus and the Jewish temple described in this passage, the scriptural truths contained within the story can be applied to the church today.

If Jesus were to walk in the doors of our institutional churches today, what do you think he would see, and what do you think would be his reaction? I believe that he would see far worse than what he saw with these merchants and money changers in the temple area of his day. But, let’s take it beyond that, because Jesus made it clear that when he spoke of the temple, he was speaking of his body (see vv. 19-22). Today the temple of God dwells within the hearts and lives of Christ’s followers, both individually and collectively (the church). So, if you could picture him physically with you throughout the day, what would he see (and does see), and what do you think his reaction would be to your (and my) activities, thoughts, desires, words expressed, etc.?

The reason I shared my experiences with you is so you understand that I am not just speaking in theory here or from books I have read, but I have physically seen and have personally witnessed the selling, marketing, and the desecration of God’s holy temple – Christ’s body - his church, which goes on daily in our lives individually and corporately. The church of today is marketed just like any other business. Not all marketing is deceptive, but much of it is. Gimmicks, entertainment, comedy routines, manipulations of minds and emotions, deception, lies, half-truths (lies), human thinking and reasoning and philosophies, human goals and objectives, and a diluted gospel (so as not to offend anyone) are routine. Those who are needy and hurting, as well as those who hold to the truths of scripture, are often cast aside because they get in the way of the big business goals and objectives. People are stepped on and they are throwaways, all for the purpose of building earthly kingdoms of mankind over and above building God’s eternal kingdom.

The worst offense of all, I believe, is the diluting of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel has been turned into a free-for-all (no rules; chaotic; no definite standards). Yet, that is not the gospel of scripture. Yet, its purpose is to make the gospel more palatable and non-offensive so that the world will want to come into our churches (social clubs). The church, nonetheless, is not supposed to be an organization, club or business of humans, but it is, in reality, a spiritual organism of God, with Christ as the head, and with the Holy Spirit determining the parts of the body and the giftedness of the Spirit in individual believers’ lives. You wouldn’t know that to attend most institutional churches today, though.

The Truth

The true gospel of Jesus Christ is a gospel of grace, but it is not without rules. Jesus said that if anyone would come after him, he must deny himself (his self-life) and take up his cross daily (die daily to sin and self), and follow (obey) the Lord Jesus (see Lu. 9:23-25). Paul (speaking in the Spirit) said that we come to know Christ by forsaking our lives of sin, by being transformed in heart and mind, and by putting on our new lives in Christ Jesus, “created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (see Eph. 4:17-24). He said that being crucified with Christ means that we (the “I” in us) no longer lives, but Christ lives within us, and the life we now live, we live by faith in the Son of God (see Gal. 2:20). We don’t just clean up our old lives at our own pace when we come to Christ, but believing in Jesus Christ involves a radical change of heart and mind away from lives of sin and toward walking in humble and submissive obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ.

So, God is calling his church, including individual believers in Christ, to repent of her sins of idolatry and spiritual adultery, and to return to her first love, Jesus Christ, and to make him her only Lord and husband. He is calling his church away from marketing schemes of humans and from human teaching and philosophy, and back to the truths of scripture. He is calling his church away from thinking of church as a corporation, a social club and/or a place to bring the unsaved of this world, thus working hard to attract the world to the “church,” and back to the teachings of scripture on the church, and the understanding that we don’t bring the world into the church by worldly means, but it is Christ who adds daily to the church those who are being saved. The church should be a place for the body of Christ to be nurtured, taught, ministered to, encouraged, strengthened, and for them to participate in the life of the body as God designed, not as man designed. And, then the church should go out into the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ, and it should grow by salvations.

If the church does not repent, and she does not return to her first love, the Lord will come against her in judgment (see Rev. 2-3 and the book of Isaiah). And, he will come with a whip, because zeal for his temple (his body/God’s holy place) consumes him. God is a jealous God. He promised us to one husband, and he will do what it takes to get his church to return to her one true love. So, if this lesson speaks to you, I pray you will repent today.

The Battle for Truth / An Original Work / May 18, 2013

Based off Malachi 1-4

I love you. Honor me.

Tell the truth. You’ll be free.

Sing My praise all your days.

I will give all you need.

Turn from sin; cleansed within.

Stand in awe of My Name.

Teach what’s true. Walk in peace.

Follow Christ, in His ways.

Show to God faithfulness.

Do not be adult’rous.

Do not shed shallow tears.

Do not be insincere.

I have sent messengers,

Who have giv’n my address.

They call for repentance,

And they warn of judgment.

I, the Lord, do not change,

So return – blessings gain:

Healing comes; joyfulness;

Freedom from your distress.

http://originalworks.info/the-battle-for-truth/

Come and See

For my quiet time with the Lord Jesus this morning I read John 1:35-51. I read the passage, then took notes on the passage, but I kept feeling drawn toward a tune the Lord Jesus gave me last night, so I prayed, and then I went to the tune and asked the Lord if this passage of scripture somehow fit this tune, that he would reveal that to me, and he did.

What I see at work here is that God revealed Jesus to John, John then revealed Jesus to his disciples, and two of them followed him. One of the two immediately told his brother, who he then brought to Jesus. Jesus found Philip and said, “Follow Me,” and Philip found Nathanael and told him about Jesus. And, Jesus told Nathanael, “I saw you under a fig tree.” So, following Jesus Christ with our lives is not only about dying to sin daily and living to please our Lord in all we do and say, but it means leading others to know him, too.

Come and See / An Original Work / May 20, 2013

Based off John 1:35-51

John, the Baptist, called of God to

Make straight the way for the Lord,

Told his disciples about Jesus,

So two of them followed Him.

One of them who followed Jesus

Told his brother, Simon Peter,

Who then he brought to the Savior,

Who had told them, “Come and see.”

Jesus Christ, our Lord, Messiah,

On his way to Galilee found a man, Philip,

So he told him, “I want you to follow Me.”

Philip then found his friend,

And he told him, “We have found the one

The prophets spoke of – He is Jesus!”

Philip then said, “Come and see.”

Jesus saw the man, Nathanael,

While he sat beneath a fig tree,

Even before Philip called him,

So Nathanael did believe.

Nonetheless the Lord said,

“You believe because of what I told you.

You will see much greater things than these

If you will Come and see.”

Jesus’ calling to each one of us.

He tells us to believe in Him

As our Lord and Messiah,

And to follow where He leads.

He says we must turn from our sins,

Die to sin and self each day,

And put on our new lives in Jesus;

Bow before Him; humbly pray.

http://originalworks.info/come-and-see/

http://youtu.be/Q9fj7LhNHx8