Whatcha' Doin'?

The overall theme of the Bible is about God’s passion to keep His people in a close relationship with Him and He has gone to extraordinary lengths to make that possible. Even though God made a covenant in the Old Testament with His people and demonstrated His love in many ways, they wandered off the path like sheep that didn't want to follow their shepherd. They didn’t seem interested in keeping the relationship going. Still, God kept trying to bring them back to Him. The way God’s people behaved then and the way you and I behave now, makes one wonder why God didn’t just forget about this project a long time ago rather than make all that effort to bring us back to Himself. The point is, that a relationship with God requires effort, not just on God’s part, but on ours. It is a two-way relationship and God has come toward us more than half way. So, my questions for you are, “Whatcha doin'? How far have you come?” When I began to study the chapters in Zachariah, I really didn’t see how I could ever make sense out of them or even write a blog about them. But as I read and prayed, I began to see that these passages are rich in images and truth. The only problem I have now is how to share it with you in 4 short paragraphs! But, I want to challenge you to take a radical, new step towards growth.

Regardless of how far you have wandered away, regardless of how messed up your life is, regardless of how weak and inadequate you feel you are, God has a recipe for transformation and renewal. Some of you are struggling with challenges. You may feel like you are spinning your wheels in ruts you can’t get out of. You may be going through deep waters that threaten to drown you. You may feel like (as I have on many occasions) that you are surrounded by so many filthy, violent, and desperate people you don’t know where to turn. You may feel trapped in some kind of secret sin that you can’t let go of. I don’t know what you are up against, but whatever your challenges are, the verses in Zachariah offer hope. The first thing to remember is that even though it may not seem like it, God is looking out for you. By that I don’t mean that you will always find a parking space at the mall when you need one or that you will never have a bad hair day. That is not what this is about. We all know that God does provide for us in unexpected and undeserved ways. If I asked for your testimonies about unexpected blessings you have received, several of you would have something to say. But the picture I’m painting today is bigger than that. As the description of Jerusalem begins to unfold in Zachariah Chapter 12, it sounds at first like bad things are going to happen: heavy stones, frightened horses, flaming torches. But with each one, some action is added that makes clear that God will save and protect his people, making it possible to live victoriously in the midst of turmoil and threats. God looks out for his us. These verses assure us that when God has a plan, He will carry it through. When He makes a promise, He keeps it. When He offers victory, He means it. Regardless of the circumstances of our lives,  we can be assured that God will carry out his purposes. As Zachariah says in Chapter 12:8, the Lord will shield His people so that even the most feeble among them shall be like King David. That is more than we could humanly hope for. And Rom. 8:31 says, "If God is for us, who is against us?" That is the first thing to remember. God looks out for his people and He is looking out for you. Have you claimed that promise? 

The second thing to remember is that we don’t measure up to God’s standards, so we need to face up to our sin and repent. I have talked with people who know they have violated God’s intentions for them and they are ready to recognize it, repent, and let God change them. I have talked with others whose sin is as plain as the nose on their face, but they maintain they have done nothing wrong in God’s eyes. They say they are as good or better than anyone else. But as we all know, God doesn’t ask us to compare ourselves with the guy next to us. It is God’s standard that counts. Through the prophet Zechariah, God reminds us to face up to our shortcomings and recognize sin for what it is. When you read these verses, you can detect an underlying tone of sorrow and sadness. Something has gone awry. In Chapter 12:10, for example, we read about weeping bitterly and mourning. What is that about? It is a recognition that the way people have treated the God of the universe should cause them to weep because of their sins and wrong doings. We don’t know what the historical circumstance is behind verse 10 when it says, "When they look on the one whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for Him." Scholars have all kinds of theories about martyrs, assassinations, and betrayals. Whatever it was, the people of Israel had messed up in a big way. And so have we. But the sadness about our sin gives way to healing and hope. No amount of weeping alone can remove our sin. It takes a supernatural act of God to cleanse us from sin. Right after the verses about mourning, we read in Zachariah 13:1 that a fountain shall be opened to cleanse us from sin and impurity. If there is anything the human heart needs, it is forgiveness of sin and cleansing of our stained souls. And once again, even though Zechariah couldn’t have known, God had a plan to make it possible through the death and resurrection of his Son, Jesus Christ. In His sermon on the mount, Jesus said, Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Weeping over our sins is not a sign of weakness. It is the first step toward wholeness. And when Jesus came, he opened a fountain, permanently available, to wash away our sins. The thing to do with our sin and wrong doing is to face up to it and repent and accept God’s cleansing. That is why the Bible commands baptism, to symbolize God’s cleansing. And if you haven’t taken that step, God is calling. God not only looks out for us, He invites us to repent.

As I read on in verse 7, I asked why would God want his sheep to be scattered? Why would God put his people through hardship? It didn't register with me. And why would He end up with only a portion of the total number? The answer is found verse 9 where we read about the testing and refining of silver and gold. And in order to accomplish that, these kinds of precious metals need to go through the fire. Usually we think of fire as a bad thing. But, in the Bible, being put into the fire is not always bad. Remember the three friends of Daniel who were put into the fiery furnace? As the gospel song says, They didn’t bend, they didn’t bow, they didn’t burn. But they were in the fire. And Zechariah compares spiritual trials to the way gold and silver get refined. Not everyone responds the same to fiery trials. You have probably known people, who, when they experienced hardship, became bitter and may have even turned against God. And you probably have known others who became more thoughtful, humble, and repentant.  James 1 says, "Whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance and leads to maturity. Finally, the third thing to remember is that God wants to refine us, to make us pure like precious gold. Don’t let anyone tell you that following Jesus is a piece of cake. Yes, God provides blessings in abundance, but once you set your feet on the path of obedience and discipleship, you will likely run into challenges and obstacles and temptations that you didn’t know were possible. You will be tested. You will be tried. Does anyone reading this blog know what I mean? One of the most comforting Bible passages I’ve found is Isaiah 43:1-3. God knows what He is doing. He knows what we can take. In I Cor. 10:13, He has promised not to test us beyond what we are able to bear. God will not drop us or abandon us. He invites us to repent, to be refined, and renewed.  So my challenge to you is, get back in the game even if you have drifted due to laziness, being uninterested, too busy with daily tasks, overwhelmed by problems, because you were overcome by some sin, etc. It's never too late to repent, pray for strength, and return to your Father.  Make the remainder of this year one closer with God by reading and  studying His Word, growing spiritually, and gratefully doing His will. 

Until He Comes,

-Pat-

Spiritual Maturity Takes Time

So many of the most beautiful things in life and in nature for that matter, don’t move, grow, or develop with great speed. Instead, their movements are slow and gradual.  Part of the wonder of nature,  is getting to see the different pieces gradually unfolding according to an order and time frame established by GOD--like a bud that opens into a flower. Flowers don't bloom overnight once planted. It's a waiting game. Another example is a tomato plant. In my experience, growing from seedling to harvest takes around 2 months. What about things that happen in us when the "seed" of Word of God has been planted in us? Do we suddenly become a perfect person? I say not. Spiritual growth is also like the growth of a plant--slow and gradual: from seed to sprout, to green vegetation, to budding, flowering, then fruit with various ripening stages.

Have you ever wish that your own spiritual growth could happen faster? That the interpretation of scriptures was as effortless as some seem to have mastered? That Satan's temptation were easier to resist? That controlling your tongue was as effortless as turning off a switch? What the Lord is telling us in His Word, right from the opening chapters of Genesis, on through the story of the Exodus, by the wanderings of the Children of Israel in the wilderness, in the many battles that they had to fight in the land of Canaan, on through the time of the prophets, and finally by way of the Lord’s own thirty-three years of life on earth …what the Bible is telling us by all of these things in their chronological order, and explicitly in Exodus 23, is that spiritual growth and rebirth, and also the growth of human relationships, are slow…and gradual…and seasonal…and majestic.

 Like the change of the seasons,

And the turning of the tide,

And the growth of a tree,

And the opening of a flower.

He’s telling us that we can’t expect to break out of dysfunctional ways of thinking, destructive tendencies, hurtful attitudes, or habits and vices of life in an instant. There is a tendency of the followers of Christ to believe that somehow any bad habit within us can be changed within a heartbeat and we suddenly become flawless.  As with ourselves, we learn about destructive forms of anger and opposite forms of love, and we don’t want to be angry people; we want to be loving people instead. And so we may begin to act like we "aren’t angry” (…and that’s a good start!) we might even think that because of our new outward behavior, that suddenly we aren’t angry any more. But does acting like we aren’t angry and thinking we aren't angry really take anger away--remove it (finger snap) in an instant? Often it doesn’t, and we end up just kidding ourselves and our anger goes on burning. The truth is, human nature can't be changed in a moment, but only gradually--as we daily learn the truth of orderly living from the Lord and then with the Lord’s help and power put that truth to work in both the inner and outer parts of our lives, refusing to do what is hurtful or "evil" to other people because it is against the Lord’s will and good intentions, and then acting on the goodness that presents itself to us as an option for our lives. “ He or she who has My commandments and lives them,” the Lord says, “ he it is who loves me; and I will come to him or her and make My home with him” John 14:21. “Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you become fruitful and inherit the land" Exodus 23:30.  It's in keeping with this Scripture that the teachings of the New Church suggest that spiritual growth is not hurried; rather, it is slow and gradual. Everything that we have ever thought; everything that we have ever intended in our hearts; every word that we have ever spoken; and every action that we have ever done--from our earliest childhood on through to the present moment--becomes part of the composition of our lives. It helps form the fabric of who we are. Ultimately, we know that each one of us, having operated in the flesh has certain destructive tendencies and dysfunctional ways of thinking that we bring into our spiritual DNA when becoming "Christian." Though are sins are forgiven, the tendency TO SIN is still there.

So what’s the point? The point is that the growth and development and rebirth of the human spirit, isn't something that happens (finger snap) all at once. Instead, the Lord’s mercy is constantly at work with us--every moment, throughout the entire course of our Christian journey--guiding us and gently moving us with all of the love, patience, wisdom, and majesty that we see

in nature—

 In the change of the seasons;

 In the turning of the tides;

 In the growth of a tree;

 And in the opening of a flower.

God has given each believer "POWER TO BECOME THE SONS OF GOD" (John 1:12.) The life and journey of a born-again Christian is a long, day by day, month by month, year by year process

of growth, error, sin, forgiveness, hope, growth, error,  knowledge, slipping,  forgiveness, understanding, obedience, comprehension, maturity, and wisdom! Don't allow yourself to give up your Christian walk if you struggle to maintain a spotless record. No one stops cursing overnight, harnesses a bad temper, or doesn't get tempted to give into physical lust, etc. The more you read and plant the seeds of Gods words in your heart and mind for spiritual guidance and knowledge, the more you'll learn and receive power to overcome temptation and committing offenses and sins. Some of us are just a seedling. Others have vegetation and growth. There are others blooming and coming into maturity, while the remainder are producing fruit. Wherever you are in the link walking with Christ, be encouraged to continue growing, despite weakness, doubt, hardship, or failure. Just know, true repentance is more than acknowledging sin, it is turning away from sin and to God. It is not simply saying ‘Lord, I repent’ and while still seeking sin out. If you find that your desires are sinful, pray ‘Lord, create in me clean and pure desires. Take out these sinful desires in my heart.’ Be honest with yourself. You won’t get past sinful desires if you never admit that they are there. The bottom line is,  Christian living is all about glorifying God by enjoying Him and being with Him. It’s not supposed to be about trying to not sin. I’m not trying to lessen the seriousness of sin, but I am trying to magnify the importance of the pursuit of enjoying God. When you enjoy God, you obey Him more consistently because it’s based on love. And love produces a powerful kind of obedience.

Until He Comes,

-Pat-

 

Why Do You Call Me, Lord?

 Luke Chapter 6, verse 46 in the Bible (any bible, any version) is a very interesting verse that I believe many Christians skim over without letting the words sink in. First of all just to be clear, I will list that same verse as written in many different but popular versions so you can see it isn't difficult to understand regardless of what account you read.

• American Standard Version (AVS) "And why do ye call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not the things which I say?"
• Amplified Version (AMP) "Why do ye call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not practice what I tell you?"
• Easy to Read Version (ERV) "Why do ye call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' but you don't do what I say?"
• English Standard Version (ESV) "Why do ye call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not what I tell you?"
• Phillips Version (Phillips) "And what is the point of calling me, 'Lord, Lord,' without doing what I tell you to do?"
• King James Version (KJV) "And why call ye me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not the things which I say?"
• New International Version (NIV) "Why do ye call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and don't do what I say?"
• The Voice Version (VOICE) "What good is it to mouth the words, 'Lord, Lord,' if you don't live by my teachings?"

It should be abundantly obvious by the many versions I listed that Jesus, if speaking today, would have been saying something like, 'Why do you even bother calling me Lord or calling me your Savior, or why even believe you're Mine or have any part with Me when you're not doing or obeying anything I've said, taught, instructed, or commanded?'

It's also obvious by this same verse that Jesus IS NOT speaking to the world or anyone outside of genuine Christianity because "the world" consists of atheists, agnostics, non-believers, hypocrites, pagans, and infidels, and these do not address Jesus as their "Lord." Jesus, therefore, is speaking to the only group of people that claim Jesus as Lord and Savior of their lives! He's directly speaking to 'Christians'. Every person who pronounces Jesus as their Lord should carefully consider this admonition. Scripture explains why it is so very important to not only be "hearers of the Word but doers also" (James 1:22). AND THAT because, Luke 6: 47-49 " Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.” And again, if we simply interpret this in simple terms is saying:

'Whoever hears what Jesus has said and actually does what He has told us to do, is like a man whose faith runs deep and is built on the bed-"Rock" (Jesus).  And when any trouble of any kind rises to shake that man's faith he will not be moved because his faith was built on TRUTH (Jesus). But if a man's faith is built on any other belief, philosophy, religion, ideology, creed, teaching, or doctrine, when he is tested by any trouble of any kind he will fall and his fall will be great because his belief and faith were not invested in Jesus ... the solid Rock.

Another interesting scripture that ties into the one above, and is of an even greater concern is from Matthew 7:21-26 Jesus is speaking,  “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness! Jesus is warning, not even the person claiming to be a Christian will enter heaven ... only those who do the will of God will enter, or in other words, only those believers who not only have heard the Word, but do it. OBEDIENCE TO GODS WORD IS NECESSARY TO ENTER HEAVEN. A person must be a doer of the Word not just a hearer. Examine this verse carefully!! Since Jesus is speaking to people "claiming" to be Christians because they are addressing Him as Lord, He is literally telling them "I never knew you" AND HE'S CASTING THEM AWAY even though these are those among us who prophesied in His Name. They even cast out demons in His Name. And they did many wonders in His Name, yet Jesus is telling them He doesn't know them? How can that be? What distinguishes them from any other person claiming Jesus as their Lord because these did the same thing yet they are rejected by Jesus? What happened?" Jesus gives us the answer, "depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness." They were turned away, even though they claimed Jesus as Lord and even though able to prophesy, cast out demons etc. they KNOWINGLY, WILLFULLY, AND DELIBERATELY DISREGARDED AND REFUSED TO DO AS JESUS ASKED. They were disobedient! They may have worshipped Him in word, but their deeds proved otherwise. They despised and defied Gods law, not wanting to obey by surrendering to Gods Word and HIS will.

If you are not obeying His Word, Jesus is not your Lord. You can Prophecy, speak His name, confess you're a Christian, never miss a church Sunday, use His Word and make the devil flee, have biblical knowledge, preach or teach, be the most generous person, tithe as you choose, go to prayer meetings, volunteer in a hospital, go on mission trips, etc. but if you aren’t a DOER of Gods Word, not just a listener, hearer, or reader, and DON'T OBEY what scripture teaches, is Jesus really your Lord? 

If you don't do what you know to do, its a sin (James 4:17). This verse is meant to make  the need to obey God and is often referred to as the "sin of omission." A sin of omission is a sin of inaction, or not doing something related to God’s law. How can inaction result in sin? Is there really such a thing as a sin of omission? Hearing brings knowledge, but James confirms that knowledge is useless if no action is taken after learning it. If we are to properly follow God, knowledge cannot be the final step. In Romans 1:18-23, Paul applies this concept to people who claim to know God but fail to follow His laws. Speaking of these people in verse 21, Paul writes, “Although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God.” As a result, these people “became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” Here we see a sobering example of people who had the knowledge of God at their fingertips—they knew who He was! Yet their knowledge was useless because it did not cause them to change the way they lived. Clearly, it is not enough to simply have knowledge of God and His way. We cannot be scholars only, failing to put His precepts to proper use in our lives. God requires that we put knowledge into action. Ultimately, everyone who learns the knowledge of God and His way of life through the Word must also choose a life of obedience to that knowledge.

Until He Comes,

-Pat-

The Spirit Of Jezebel

Let's start with who is  Jezebel? Jezebel was the name of an ancient queen of Israel and notoriously one of the most evil women in the Bible. Jesus criticized the church at Thyatira in Revelation 2:18-29 for tolerating “that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess.” Jesus words were both then and now a revelation of what "spirit " Jezebel was and what animated her teaching. According to additional ancient text we know Jezebel was a power-hungry, violent, non-believing prostitute, and a teacher of the Baal religion. Normally we don't think of Jesus as intolerant but it is clear, that whatever He didn’t tolerate two thousand years ago, He still doesn’t tolerate today, “Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8 NKJV).

Unfortunately, "the spirit" of Jezebel is thriving and has reared its ugly head in America. Her spirit is a fierce energy that seeks to destroy those her oppose "her." Today we use the term JEZEBEL to describe an impudent, shameless, or morally unrestrained person which we see materializing in new areas of our society.

Within my own living memory, American society once paid lip service to Biblical standards of sexual behavior. Now, unmarried cohabitation and unwed motherhood have become acceptable. No one blinks an eye when people flaunt multiple sex partners. Virgins are a rare find. The appalling number of sexual predators that make national headlines shouldn’t surprise anyone. They practice recently accepted behaviors on a still-unacceptable scale. Homosexuality, once acknowledged as a sin, has sadly become a political cause. It has invented the term “homophobia” to imply that any opposition can only come from an irrational fear. No earlier society, no matter how tolerant of homosexuality, ever included homosexual relationships in its definition of marriage. Not even the ancient Canaanites thought of gender fluidity. But now males “identify” as female and females “identify” as male. Newspaper editorials advise high school girls to get used to the presence of a person with a penis in their locker rooms so as not to make the transgendered uncomfortable. Sin is becoming less and less forbidden in these areas. How did we wind up here? The 

Every cell in everyone’s body proclaims what sex they are. It's imprinted in our chromosomes! XY= boys and XX= GIRLS.

Compassion for the transgendered would require helping them to accept and celebrate their actual 'at birth' assigned sex. Anyone who dares say so anymore draws down progressive Jezebel hatred. We don’t burn babies alive at  pagan shrines anymore, no, we kill them before birth in abortion clinics! And woe to anyone who dares to interfere with a mother’s “right to choose.” The reality is, there is never A RIGHT to purposely take a life. Women are campaigning and arguing for the right to kill their own offspring with no consequences. Now we've arrived at the point where some politicians even refuse to allow protection to babies that survive the abortion process. They show a Jezebel anger at the idea that killing babies amounts to murder. Our own dictionaries refute their obstinate opinion! MURDER: the unlawful premeditated killing of one human being by another. Notice the keyword unlawful? THIS IS WHY they want a law that makes premeditated abortion legal, it's so they can escape the guilt of being labeled or judged as a murderer as Jezebel was! God said no murderer will ever enter heaven (Galatians 5:21).

The spirit of Jezebel, apparent in the "woke" section of society is also attempting to destroy true masculinity in men by belittling and condemning them by what the 'wokes' definition of masculinity is. God never intended for men to have control over or oppress women as is "their" definition:  power-hungry, narcissistic, violent, aggressive, selfish, or angry.  These thing are not true masculinity though Jezebel's spirit, which has infiltrated today's society, would have you believe men fit this description and therefore need to be stripped of their roles as leaders and  basic men. Jezebel's spirit is ranting about masculinity as if it were inherently toxic. They seem more interested in punishing men. But the true meaning of "masculinity" carries with it courage be the head, to guide, to lead, to have strength, toughness, assertiveness, and boldness, without lording it over another. If the head of the family, the one who leads at the helm, can be made to feel less of a man, the foundational strength of the family will cease to be and the family will crumble. What more could the spirit of Jezebel and Leviathan want? And then you have women. God never intended for women to have control over or oppress men either. In a marriage, women are to walk alongside the man, not behind him. She is to be a supportive figure for him, who in turn, honors and respects her supportive position.

Unfortunately, under the influence of the spirit of Jezebel, sin seems like a good thing anymore. That which was (past tense) once deemed evil is now acceptable and that which used to be considered good and wholesome is now regarded as unacceptable. Sadly, the Church in general has not made a strong, collective, response to any of the social upheavals over the last several years.  Vast segments of the American church have taken a page from the teaching of Jezebel of Thyatira. They condone sin in the name of compassion and thus Jezebel is alive and well in many American churches. They point to Jesus’ compassion but fail to live up to his example. In the only gospel story directly concerned with sexual sin, Jesus showed great compassion to the woman taken in adultery. But his last words to her were, “Go and sin no more." True believers should not tolerate abortion, homosexuality, transgendered men or cross-dressers in women's bathrooms or in our schoolrooms. As believers and doers of Gods Word, we must take a stance and come against "her" and every foul spirit before she /they consume our families, churches, and workplaces.

Until He Comes,

-Pat-

 

Evil is Good and Good is Evil? Since when?

 

I have lived on this earth through enough revolutions to have observed the following:

Once a generation of "yes ma'am, no ma'am. Yes sir, no sir."

We progressed to, "right, wrong ... well, maybe."

Then we arrived at, "if it feels good do it."

To finally today, our morality has become, "what's right is wrong and what's wrong is right." We are calling that which is evil; good, and that which is good; evil.

Have we really fallen so far from our once moral integrity to have completely abandoned truth for fiction?

Unfortunately, this certainly seems to be the case and the Bible has something to say about this prevailing societal attitude. Let's look at it.

Isaiah 5:20 says, "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter" (KJV)

*********************************************************************

Let's begin with the very first word from this verse, woe. The bible specifically indicates throughout scripture the word woe" was used by JESUS to represent His righteous anger. Our Webster Dictionary describes the word woe as meaning misery, sorrow, distress, or trouble. Before any admonition, any instruction, any other word, Isaiah begins his sentence with WOE! Sounds serious, doesn't it? There is a warning of certain consequences as a result of a particular credence. Calling evil good and good evil could certainly describes today's culture saying that what is right is wrong and what is wrong is right; that black is white and white is black; bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter. The world has reversed what is evil and what is good. This is one of the many ways of sin, the reversal of values.

 

In today’s perverse society free from all moral restraint this is how it is possible that many things that were considered bad/evil/corrupt/and unacceptable earlier in our existence are now hallowed as alternative life style, tolerance of being different, a fact of life, deemed "normal" and so on. Cheating on your wife/husband theoretically is considered bad, but in practice it is accepted and it is considered not too bad. There are sites where you can specifically be set up with another married person for sex in secret. Open marriages are encouraged. Poly amorous marriages and swapping partners with friends is now popular etc. Virginity is a shame to the youth these days and they are taught to lose it as soon as possible, and by any means. Swing clubs are the hottest thing while orgies are organized privately or in swing clubs. Pedophilia, homosexuality, and transgenderism are considered "simply diverse lifestyles" and the moral side of society must embrace it otherwise they are accused of some phobia or racism. The rich can literally order up any-age boy or girl through sex trafficking rings or order an extravagant perverted, deviant encounter on the once, exotic, Epstein Island. The world has reversed what is evil and what is good when the Bible warns in layman's terms: 

WOE!!! A boy is not a girl and a girl is not a boy (transgenderism) when: "in the beginning, God made them male and female and to go forth and multiply" (Genesis 1:27) 

WOE!!! Homosexuality is a sin when "it is an abomination for a man to lie with another man as he does a woman" (Leviticus 18:22, Romans1:27). 

WOE!!! To harm a child (molestation, sex trafficking, misleading, dupe, entice) brings judgment when, "Whoever causes one of these little ones which believe in me-to stumble, it would be better for them to have  a millstone hung around their neck and cast into the depths of the sea." 

WOE!!! Perversion is altering something from the original course. And it is wrong when men sleep with men "working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error" (Romans 1:29).  I could go on forever with the list.

People say that bad is good and good is bad the way they disregard the bible’s warnings and principles. On account of these the wrath of God is coming and we are soon to enter Judgement. For God, sin is sin whatever it is: the liar is just as a great sinner as an immoral person or an alternative life style propagator, or an adulterer etc. It would be easy for anyone to convince themselves using false reasoning that the written word of God does not apply to us because of our particular circumstances. So , how could we make it work for us? “Twisting the Scriptures” (2 Peter 3:16) ( 2 Timothy 4 : 3 ). “For their will be a period of time when they will not put up with the wholesome teaching. But according to their own desires they will surround themselves with teachers to have their ears tickled.” They will turn away from listening to the truth and give attention to false stories.” Today's society reflects that mentality; they have made amendments to what God has defined as “ good” and “ bad” based on their personal preferences. The demands of acceptance rather tolerance, tells you that society in general has taken a position of saying that what is bad in God’s eyes is good, and what is good is bad.

The peaceful neutrality that Christ taught is poo-pooed, and churches promote political parties and politicians as the solution to mankind’s problems; God’s Kingdom is not mentioned. (Daniel 2:44; Matthew 24:14) The wholesale abandonment of Biblical standards regarding sexual morality has not led to the happiness and freedom that are promised by adherence of such “freedom”, but rather to confusion, unhappiness, disease and societal decay. Satan implied, when he spoke through a serpent to Eve in the Garden of Eden, that mankind would be happier independent of God, and setting their own standards of right and wrong (Genesis chapter 3). Satan’s lies were exposed but he has not changed his tactics; he continues to promote independence from God as the only way to happiness, in essence, telling people that what God considers good is bad, and bad good.

The consequences of such rebellion are plainly seen today, and worsening rapidly. The choice is ours to turn around, repent of our sins in this godless society or continue down the path of spiritual annihilation into an eternal separation from God, independent of God, without hope, without chance, without change, without joy, without meaning, without Light, lost in the darkness of despair, without purpose, without meaning, in a world of those who chose to love themselves, make their own rules despite hearing the truth over and above a love for the Creator... Romans 1:25 "Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen."

Until He Comes,

-Pat-

A Punch In The Face

 

I once heard someone once say,  “It's all fun and games until you get punched in the face.” This "someone" was referring to a series of financial problems that had taken him from success to near pauper status. Life can hand us a series of unexpected disappointments like an unforeseen divorce, a business failure, a devastating health report, or bankruptcy, etc. When faced with such "punches," unfortunately many throw up their hands in defeat by allowing depression and a defeatist attitude to take up residence within themselves. It is so very important to remember at our worst times Almighty God has a plan for our lives and His plans are never derailed. In Jeremiah 29, the prophet Jeremiah warned his people of coming judgment and impending invasion. The nation of Judah was about to be 'punched in the face'. But God’s plans were undeterred, and Jeremiah reassured them of their eventual return and restoration to the land. “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you… plans to give you hope and a future declares Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV). At the very time of trouble, when the enemy attempts to invade, or at the moment the doctor announces a poor prognosis, none of us can see beyond our crippling circumstances! Personally, just last week I was smacked in the face with my sister's cancer diagnoses. It took me by surprise. It took everyone by surprise including her. The prognosis doesn't look positive. It's important to plan and prepare for life, but if your plans have suffered a setback, if your present situation has shattered before your eyes, don't let discouragement overtake your mind. Your heavenly Father loves you. He knows all about it and His plans will unfold with grace and mercy, in His timing.

I can further speak from the seat of experience in this matter. Few of you know where I "was" and "where" I am now.  I've had setbacks in my life like any of you ... I've been laid off. I've felt the pain of divorce. I've lost all my possessions and had to start over from ground zero.  I've been homeless, literally hungry without any food, without health coverage, without a plan, feeling overwhelmed and lost. But nothing has been a bigger punch to my face than that of my physical neuropathy, the genetic nerve disease I inherited called CMT. You see, CMT never punched me in the face until I was in my 50's. I thought I was going to get through life and live gracefully to a ripe old age. My body let me down! Oh, I recovered from all those other things I listed because by nature I'm a fighter.  I wasn't about to let problems overwhelm and defeat me. I fought and scraped my way out of everything with God's eye on me. But when CMT took my ability to drive a car, to ever walk again, to tie a shoe, loosen a bottle cap, or left me only able to type blogs with one finger, I knew this punch was bigger than me. I knew there was no way to restore the nerves where I would feel anything with my feet or hands again. Physically I was and am defeated.  But my hope, my faith, my life does not rest in what my body can do or perform.  It lies in the Almighty God Who has a plan for me, a plan to prosper and give me hope for the future! When I learned I had CMT, and what it meant for my future as it progresses through my body robbing me of balance and touch, I cried out to God, "What good am I now? I can't help people anymore.  I love helping people. What will I do?"  Came the voice, "WRITE."  That's a blog for a different time, but I questioned God. "Write?  Write what?  I'm no author.  I can't write!" Long story short, God simply wanted me to share in words what He has fed me throughout my walk with Him and occasionally share a personal life story that He arranges to touch people.  Thus, Sunday Blogs began in 2011. Much to my amazement, I can proclaim this truth, "I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me."  However, there was an important lesson God revealed to me through this punch to the face  And what a lesson!  

My body may have let me down, but what the enemy meant for bad, God turned around for good. My CMT diagnosis was a blessing in disguise despite how that may seem from everything I wrote.  Having this debilitating condition has allowed me a "time-out" from going my own way, it's been a much-needed shift in perspective, allowing me to see how I was really neglecting God by making my time MY TIME. I can honestly say this disruption has given me the opportunity to fulfill what God planned for me all along that I had neglected. The lesson has been a tough one, but one that opened my eyes to really understand that it is in the darkest of times we can see the smallest light of God. God was always there ... when I ignored His urging for me to write, when I spent all my hours of each day on me, each time I promised I would give Him tomorrow, but always failed. Selfishness separated me from God.  I'm thankful there is nothing through which I can cheat God now. I have all kinds of time to converse with Him, praise Him, read His Word, listen to His voice, to study scripture, to write, and share my faith ....The essence of the Christian life is in obeying and worshipping God and helping others. God has given each of us important gifts for those purposes. We all have something to offer. Like the three men in 'Jesus Parable of the Talents, our gifts may be great or small.  But no matter how big or small our talents, abilities or wealth, we are required to put them to good use.  God gave them to us for the purpose of serving Him and serving other people. Even if we get knocked down, God can turn anything bad into good if we are willing to offer ourselves for His service.  

Until He Comes,

-Pat-

The Deception Of Homosexuality

 

Throughout Biblical scripture, God uses "marriage" between a man and a woman as an analogy of His love for us. That is evident by His desire for friendship with us and by His plan for us to be spiritually wed in His divine life for all eternity.  God created man (male) AND woman (female) instituting a union (marriage) as a covenant between them both. Through this covenant union, God gave them miraculous power and directed them to be "fruitful" and go forth and "multiply." By creating the miraculous ability to be "fruitful" they now possessed a powerful capability to "create"  by bringing forth children, multiplying, and filling the earth as God desired!

It is recorded in scripture that one of God's creations, a particular, beautiful, and powerful angel (Lucifer), defied God and fell from grace. After his fall from heavenly places, he became known as SATAN (the Devil). Satan's rebellion included an envy of us because WE were made in God's image and likeness and had been given the power to create as our Father has the power to create. Lucifer at the time wanted to be like God in that he also wanted power to create. But Lucifer was not given that gift. Satan couldn’t be like God and he was wroth, so he went to battle with the creation that God loved most -- human beings who are created in God's image and likeness. Attacking humans is very satisfying for the devil because to him, it's like personally getting back at God for not giving Satan what he wanted. Satan cannot create, but we can! God gave us the miracle to bear other little humans! Satan's goal is to steal God's children and turn them into his children because he cannot make his own!

Satan hates what God loves. He hates you. He hates marriage. He hates families. In his rebellion against God, Satan begins at our very core by seeking to destroy marriage and family. How? By his attempted deception and mockery that there is nothing backward, wrong, or sinful with homosexuality (a same gender union) and convincing people homosexuality is the same union of love between two people in a straight relationship. It's a trap. Even today Satan has continued to deceive and fortify this lie by confusing and introducing the new crafty, cunning lie of transgenderism! Satan wants you to believe you can be your own god and choose want you want, changing the divine order assigned by God. In this way, Satan openly mocks God's creation, attempting to "undo" what God created.

If Satan can hoodwink us into believing a boy can be a girl and a girl a boy, we will more readily accept the fraudulent concept of homosexuality. Remember, God told the M-A-N and the W-O-M-A-N to "be fruitful and multiply." Let's use that scripture as a reference to break down and defunct  Satan's forgery! A female represents the "fruitful" of God's equation. The male represents the "mutiply"er. Here are two scriptures that illustrate that. In the book of Luke Chapter 1verse 42, Elizabeth, when seeing pregnant Mary, the mother of Jesus, exclaimed: "Blessed is the FRUIT of thy womb" (women are fruitful, children are the fruit). Then, In Genesis Chapter 17: verses 4-6 God told Abraham that He would  make him the "father of many nations" (men are the MULTIPLY'ers of humanity). These two scriptures alone set the clear rules of the roles for males and females upon this earth to create offspring.

A physical "union" between homosexuals cannot naturally  produce "fruit" (children). A male pretending, desiring, or wanting to be female can never bear a child. He is fruitless as a so-called woman. God said, "be fruitful." A man can wear a dress, wear makeup, put on a wig, or wear lipstick and high-heels. He can even run a tube that's hidden under his shirt from a jug of milk which leads to his chest nipple and pretend to nurse a baby (as is being done in today's society) but that man will never lactate! He will never have a womb. He will never bear a child. He will never have a menstrual cycle because he is male.  In the same sense, a female cannot naturally impregnate and "multiply" the human race. That requires sperm. She may dress as a man, want to be a man, look masculine, bind her breasts to hide them, she might even be a great mechanic, plumber, roofer, or carpenter, but there's one "tool" she lacks which is necessary for multiplying... a penis.

Satan hates those committed to the marriage covenant God ordained between a male and female because it can do the most to further the Kingdom of God. The future of the Church passes through the family. If Satan can destroy families, He can destroy God’s Church.  John 10:10 tells us this about Satan, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." Satan schemes to destroy God's creative plan was defeated by the death of Jesus on a wooden cross more than 2,000 years ago. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus has made abundant grace available to all of us, even the greatest of sinners. All sin can be forgiven if you turn your life to Jesus, asking forgiveness through repentance and the desire to change. Even if you would like to change but don't have the strength to stop, JESUS GIVES YOU THE POWER THROUGH HIM to end all physical lust moving in the wrong direction. If you are serious, God will remove that desire from you so then you are able to live as He wants. The Bible instructs, "Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may  devour" (1 Peter 5:8). 

Satan wants to  beguile and devour you with his lies, deception, and tricks. He convinces you that no where in God's Word does it mention the word "homosexuality." In that, Satan tells the truth BUT he is smooth.  He also mixes lies with the truth to more easily fool you. The truth is, the word homosexuality never appeared in our vernacular until the 1890's so it is true that word does not appear in Biblical writings. However, a description of the act of  homosexuality does appear in more than one location in the Bible including both the Old and New Testament, and of course Satan is not going to acknowledge or tell you that. But I will. Below are a few scriptures from the Old Testament and New Testament that cannot be misinterpreted. It has been God's decree from the beginning of time until this present day as HIS WORD declares "is the same yesterday, today, and forever." IT NEVER CHANGES because it is truth.And truth remains consistent.

OLD TESTAMENT:

1) Leviticus 18:22 GOD SPEAKING ... "Do not lie with a man as you do with a woman; it is an abomination." (an abomination is something disgusting, detestable, abhorrent, repugnant, distasteful and unacceptable)

2) Leviticus 20:13 GOD SPEAKING ... "If a man lies with another man as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination, they shall be put to death; their blood is upon them."

THERE THEY ARE. There is no way around them; there is no ambiguity!

NEW TESTAMENT: for those that argue "that's the Old Testament. It's obsolete."

(ladies you're included) 

Romans 1:23-27...

3) For this reason (verse 23 exchanging the glory of our immortal, incorruptible God into something debase) God gave/ gives the homosexual up to vile passions. Scripture says, versev26 "even women changed the NATURAL use into that which IS AGAINST NATURE through the lust of their own heart, to dishonor their bodies between themselves (describing lesbians) who CHANGED THE TRUTH OF GOD INTO A LIE and worship and serve the creature (the body) more than the Creator who is blessed forever. Amen."

4) Likewise, verse 27 "also the men, leaving the NATURAL USE of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; MEN WITH MEN (describing homosexuals) working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of error which is due them."

Unfortunately, even in the face of the truth of God's Word as shown in the scriptures above which clearly describe same gender sexual  relationships of homosexuality and lesbianism, people will still remain obstinate and blinded by Satan's deception, refusing to change their opinions or beliefs and continue on the road to perdition unless they repent and turn away from their misdeeds. 

Until He Comes,

-Pat-

Listed are a dozen additioal Bible references:

1. AMPLIFIED: "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit or have any share in the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate [by perversion], nor those who participate in homosexuality."

2. CHRISTIAN STANDARD: "Don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God’s kingdom? Do not be deceived: No sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, or males who have sex with males."

3. EASY BIBLE: "People who do wrong things like that will never belong to God's kingdom. You surely know that. Do not think that people like this will receive God's good things: People who have sex in wrong ways. People who worship idols. People who have sex with anyone that they are not married to. Men who have sex with other men."

4. ENGLISH STANDARD: "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality"

5. HOLMAN CHRISTIAN STANDARD: "Don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God’s kingdom? Do not be deceived: No sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, or anyone practicing homosexuality"

6. INTERNATIONAL STANDARD: "You know that wicked people will not inherit the kingdom of God, don’t you? Stop deceiving yourselves! Sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, homosexuals"

7. JUBILEES: "Know ye not that the unjust shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not err: neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor effeminate nor homosexuals"

8. KING JAMES: "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind"

9. LEGACY STANDARD: "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals"

10. NEW AMERICAN STANDARD: "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals"

11. NEW AMERICAN READERS: "Don’t you know that people who do wrong will not receive God’s kingdom? Don’t be fooled. Those who commit sexual sins will not receive the kingdom. Neither will those who worship statues of gods or commit adultery. Neither will men who sleep with other men."

12. NEW INTERNATIONAL: "Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men"

... and there are dozens and dozens of other bibles who agree

Grant Me Joy

Many times I've been asked how I can remain happy with life, or at least appear to be happy, while battling a physical disability that has no medical cure. The answer for me is simple. I have something beyond happiness. It's called joy. I'm not a psychiatrist so the explanation I'll be sharing is not based on any medical or mental health knowledge that I know of.  I'm not here to win a debate or argue if happiness and joy are the same thing, albeit, I don't think they are. I think they are different words with distinct different meanings. Am I happy? That depends. It depends on the circumstances around me.  Am I joyful? ALL THE TIME because my surroundings or circumstances no matter how bad cannot change or alter my joy. Confused? I'll explain. From my own personal account both as a Christian and a non-believer before I came to Christ, I experienced happiness whether I was saved or whether I was unsaved. However, I never had JOY as a non-believer even though I could experience happiness. Why? If you think about it, happiness is triggered by external things and is based on other people, places, thoughts, or events, etc.  In other words, you're either happy or not happy based on outside stimuli. Examples: We are happy when we feel loved by another person.  We are happy when we are on vacation. We are happy when we eat a favorite meal. We are happy knowing we bought a house, drive a new car, have a great job, etc. Joy on the other hand, is not based or measured by events, circumstances or emotions. Joy is internal. It doesn't ebb and wane. It comes from an unspeakable peace knowing who you are IN CHRIST, your secured relationship with God, and knowing your place with Him.  "Joy is a fruit of the Spirit" (Galatians 5:22-23).  It's given by God and cultivated internally, not because of external stimuli. Joy remains even when happiness turns to sadness.  So many people have never found joy, and many of us have lost touch with joy not knowing how to cultivate it any more. Unfortunately, people will resort to alcohol, drugs, addictive foods, anything that for a fleeting moment brings some kind of stimuli to make them feel happy.

Most people want to feel happy.  I do!  Happiness is a goal of all humans.  I want to feel loved, enjoy a pet, go places, experience things or hobbies that make me happy. The truth is, the Bible never promises happiness.  Did you know that? However, it does promise joy. Again, there is a difference. Think about this statement and repeat it if you have to: You can have joy without happiness but you can't really be happy without joy; at least lasting happiness! This should hit home with anyone who is a Christian! It's easy to be happy when all is well: your health is good, you're financially secure, you get along with everyone, you're eating healthy, your body is in good shape, you are maintaining your looks for you age, etc. but then trouble comes in one or more of these areas and what happens to the "happiness?" It's probably gone because happiness is dependent on outside circumstances!  Happiness ebbs and wanes.  Sometimes it's destroyed altogether. However. if you trust in Jesus you know you are secure in His hands (John 10:28-29) and therefore, YOU'VE STILL GOT JOY!  It's simple really. Happiness is based on "happenings," meaning if things happen to go well, you're happy, but if it happens that something bad occurs then you're happiness is likely gone. Not so with joy!  That's why in the midst of my 24/7 physical challenges I can and do remain joyful. "The joy of the Lord is my strength" (Nehemiah 8:10.)

Before Jesus went to Calvary He said something interesting, "These things have I spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full" (John 15:11) He also said, "You will have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you" (John 16:22). Jesus promised the disciples that their joy would be full (complete).  That is permanent, a permanent possession, not a fleeting moment like happiness can be.  This is one way I can distinguish the meaning between happiness and joy.  Too, notice that Jesus assures them "your sorrow will turn to joy."  A good example that helped me relate to sorrow turning to joy was when my mother-in-law (who was a born-again Christian) passed away from cancer.  I was heavy with sorrow knowing I could never see her again yet my heart was overfilled with joy KNOWING she was in the arms of Jesus, AND because I was without fear or doubt where her spirit went. Oh the joy knowing I WOULD SEE HER AGAIN!! You've probably heard this before ... I was crying and laughing at the same time. Even though I was filled with grief and sorrow knowing I could never talk to her again, my joy remained!  Hopefully I've helped you to see why I believe happiness and joy are not the same thing. You can actually be in a state of happiness and contentment one moment and then dread the very next.  And though many of us think joy and happiness have a lot in common, one thing they that they don't have in common is one is permanent while the other is fleeting. ONE IS FROM GOD and one is from us. One comes and goes but the other will remain.

As Christians, we have JOY because we are saved.  How amazing that we've been rescued from the wrath of sin and death. How joyful 'a thought! Paul rejoiced in this, "May the God of hope FILL YOU WITH ALL JOY and peace believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope" (Romans 15:13).  The joy I speak about doesn't depart when we shed tears.  It remains in our spirit to carry us through tough times: James 1:2, "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds." There's no need to be upset or fall apart when our circumstances change because the JOY OF THE LORD WILL BE OUR STRENGTH!  Do you believe in God and really, wholeheartedly trust Jesus? Then you have nothing to be troubled about when life disappoints you, fails you, turns on you, or changes directions. You have nothing to fear or sorrow over continually because you have eternal life!  That alone should bring great joy, comfort, contentment, and yes happiness knowing you are safe and secure IN JESUS! "Weeping may tarry for the night, but JOY comes in the morning" (Psalm 30:5)  Happiness may be good, but joy is much better.  May God Grant you joy! 

Until He Comes,

-Pat-

Fight Fight Fight

I was channel surfing last week zipping past college sporting events because I'm just not interested in them. If and when I happen to watch any sporting event, it's usually football. The large crowds that attend events never cease to amaze me. I often think to myself, "Why can't people gather, get excited, and cheer over Jesus like that?" It blows my mind that great numbers of people will flock into stadiums to see their favorite team, but few of those same people would ever think about attending an event where the gospel is being preached. When I was in high school I was a faithful football fan and never missed attending a Friday night game. I can still remember yelling from the stands, "FIGHT FIGHT, red blue and white ...go Stags!"  Did you know that in the Bible there is a fight call for Christians? There is. If you are a Christian, you have actually entered into a spiritual sporting event by reason of your faith.  Paul referred to it as a race and said, "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize" (1 Corinthians 9:24). Paul cheers Timothy with this fight call, "Fight the good fight of faith" (1 Timothy 6:12). What exactly is the good fight of faith and how do you fight it?  

Something to be considered in this race is a belief God - to believe in His character, to believe in His promises, to believe that He is in control, to believe that He will bring about the final culmination of all things.  Unfortunately, some Christians have more faith in believing their home team will win a baseball game than believing God will bring victory over their battles. The book of Hebrews lists several characters from the Old Testament who fought the good fight, they fought to believe and succeeded in that fight: Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Moses to name a few, but consider Hebrews 11:29: By FAITH the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. When reading, I noticed that though the book of Hebrews account says "by faith" the people crossed the Red Sea, the Exodus account seems a little different. Not that they are contradictory, but that one account describes the people as 'faithful', yet the other account says that the people complained when they saw Pharaoh's army pursuing them. Look at this...

The Israelites snapped at Moses, "Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness?  What have you done to us bringing us out of Egypt? Is this not what we said to you in Egypt: 'Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness" (Exodus 14: 11-12). AFTER God brings the Israelites through the Red Sea as by dry land and drowns the pursuing army, it was THEN they believed: "Israel saw the great power of the Lord used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in His servant Moses (Exodus 14:31). BUT! ..only a few days later they began to grumble against Moses again (in reality against God) when there was no water (Exodus 15: 23-24); and shortly thereafter they complained even more. This time they were angry about the lack of food and wished once again they had never left Egypt to follow Moses: "Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meal pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger" (Exodus 16:3). The book of Hebrews assures us the Israelites have faith, yet Exodus shows us plainly that their faith is fickle and small. God is almighty. He protected them from the Egyptian army. He divided the sea so that they could walk between walls of water as though on dry ground. Yet notice, their faith was up and down like a yo-yo. 

Their example should make you question, "What about me? Does my faith, like theirs, ebb and flow? Do I trust God one day and then act as if He has no regard for me the next?"Could it be you are full of fear and uncertainties when dangers lie ahead? Just remember Hebrews 11:29.  God's fulfillment of His promises depends on HIM, not you!  Remind yourself of Who He is, what He has done, what He is capable of, and what He has promised. Listen to other believers, Christians in your own church, your circle of born-again friends who are there to stand alongside you in this fight of faith. Reflect on God's Word because in it He tells you exactly what His promises are to all those running the race and who will finish without quitting. So be strong and not fickle. Fight the good fight of faith, the fight to believe yes, but don't focus on your faith. Focus on the God who is the object of your faith!  Then you can endure to the end by HIS power to receive the crown set aside for you. You only get a crown if you finish.  No crown or prize is ever rewarded to the one that quits. 1 Timothy 6:12 "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life" ... because those that sustain will obtain.  

Until He Comes,

-Pat-

 

Rooted and Grounded in Love

 

We see the words "rooted and grounded" written in Ephesians 3:17, "that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, that you, being rooted and grounded in love,  may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God."

 We, as believers, and through our faith in HIM (as Paul states) can be filled with all the fullness of GOD and comprehend it! How? If we are fixed, established, immovable, secure, firm, set, unwavering, settled, fastened, firmly implanted, unchangeable, and permanently stationed IN THE WORD OF GOD.

When we are firmly set in the word of God (to know it you have to read it), our focus and gaze, both internally and externally, can shift to deeper, spiritual matters that allow us to understand and grow because we lean into our rootedness in Christ (Ephesians 3: 16-19.) What exactly does being rooted and grounded in love even mean? In the Bible, Jesus is considered love. Every born again believer is to be rooted and grounded in Christ Jesus who is love. Jesus is our foundation in which we are to live life. (1 John 4:8, Ephesians 3:17, Colossians 2:6-7). The Bible is full of parables and hidden truths with clear meanings. One of the parables with a special meaning is found in Jeremiah 17:7 "blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord. whose confidence is in Him (rooted and grounded in Him) for he will be like a tree planted by the water who sends out its roots by the stream. Have you ever taken notice of trees that are planted on or near water? I live up the street from a park who has a big pond that feeds off of a huge lake. There are many trees around this pond and all of them are healthy even though they are very old. Their roots can easily reach out to that water source and even when undergoing drought and the hot summers of the Midwest they never become stressed, wilt, or die.

What does the Bible say about a man who trusts in the Lord? Scripture says any person that trusts in the Lord is like a tree planted by water and spreads out their roots by the river. Further interpretation is,  they don’t know when heat comes, but their leaf shall be green all the time (regardless of circumstances around them). They are not concerned in the year of drought and neither do they cease from yielding fruit (Jeremiah 17:8 KJV). Simply said, the person that trusts in the Lord is like a tree planted near water. A tree that has no water source will eventually die. A tree that has a constant supply of water will not thirst and will grow. When we are connected to Jesus, we will never thirst (lack). We will grow (mature in His Word giving us understanding). We will yield fruit (referring to the fruits of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5: 22-23).

The Bible often uses the word 'water' to represent/symbolize the Word of God. This "tree" representing us therefore, relies on the water of Life- which is the word of GOD. It is through the Word we grow, mature, understand, and have life. Again, when we are firmly set in the word of God our focus and gaze, both internally and externally, can shift to deeper, spiritual matters that allow us to and grow and comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height because we lean into our rootedness in Christ.

Look at these references to water and  Who/what "water" is:

*John 1:1 (KJV)  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and THE WORD WAS GOD.

*John 1:14 (KJV)  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us. The WORD WAS GOD (as stated above) who became flesh--JESUS. Jesus was GOD in the flesh Who came to us. The disciples said, "and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

*Ephesians 5:26 (KJV)  That He might sanctify and cleanse it (His Church/believers) with the washing of water by the Word.

*John 4:14 (KJV)  Jesus speaking, "but whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."  ... like a tree  planted by the water.

Every tree that is near water will have its roots grow out towards the water to drink from it. God says for a born again believer to be rooted and grounded in love; the Living Water. Jesus/God is love according to scripture. Jesus says those that believe on him, out of their belly shall flow rivers of living waters. Jesus was referring to the Holy Spirit flowing from within them.

Now look at these references:

1 John 4:16 (KJV)  And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

Ephesians 3:17 (KJV)  That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love may know ...

Colossians 2:6-7 (KJV)  As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:  7  Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

John 7:38-39 (KJV)  He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.  39  (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

In other words, the person that trusts in the Lord will be rooted and grounded in love which is God/Jesus. Their roots are by the river so they are filled with the Holy Ghost, they are dwelling in God and God in them.

The good news for this tree in particular, is that it will have green leaves and it will not worry or be anxious in a season of drought and will still continue to yield fruit if it is  firmly planted by faith. The person who trusts in the Lord will not be consumed (key word is consumed) by any troubles that may come in the world (troubles will challenge them/you) but there is no reason to fear or be anxious because the Lord is with them and you. The Lord is our provider and will keep our leaf green and we will still bear fruit during those dry seasons. 

You could say a season of drought is upon the earth as we speak. Are you still producing fruit regardless of the chaos and instability across the globe right now?  On the other hand, the person who does not trust in the Lord is in an opposite scenario. They will be affected by the drought (trouble) and more severe droughts to come. It will affect their leaf, and they will be worried because they are unable to bear fruit. For anything to grow it needs water, just as we need WATER to survive physically and THE WATER/WORD to survive spiritually . 

The born again believer that trusts in the Lord has the kingdom within themselves and is urged to share their fruit of life with those without. Why? Hoping that those trees (people) without would become planted/rooted in the Lord Jesus Christ as well... " Or despise thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?" (Romans 2:4 (KJV).

 It is the goodness of God that leads those trees/people who are in trouble (without Jesus) to repentance. God wants them all to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ so they can be rooted and grounded in love, growing in grace and truth, and able themselves to bear the fruit of GALATIANS 5: 22-23.

Until He Comes,

-Pat-