UNBELIEF....DOUBT....AND FEAR---THE UNHOLY TRINITY OF HUMANITY

 

John 12:37
But despite all the miraculous signs Jesus had done, most of the people still did not believe Him.

John 11:53
So from that time on, the Jewish leaders began to plot Jesus' death.

Step # 2
We came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

Unbelief...
Doubt.....
Skeptical....
All born in the darkness of a heart that truly does not know its creator.
When we reject the one who created us, we turn to our own understanding to show us the way through this life.
Such foolish wisdom can only end badly.
For those who have an addictive personality, it is a sure thing that such a life will surely not end well.

The first two verses listed above tell a sad truth about living outside of a relationship with Jesus.
In the first verse, the unbelief, doubt and fear kept people from receiving what God wanted to give them. Jesus came to heal and destroy the effects of the works of the devil in this world (See I John 3:8). But when we refuse to turn loose of the unholy three (unbelief, doubt and fear) we have chose against God's will to see us healed and made whole.

The second verse shows us the darkness that can descend and smother a person who lives in unbelief. IF we keep rejecting Christ, our hearts grow colder and colder to His offer for a new way of living (not only in this world, but in eternity to come). Our thoughts will grow darker and more evil will invade our heart. The men mentioned in the second verse were the religious rulers of the day. The ones who kept the law of Moses. Seems they dropped one of the Ten Commandments...you know the one about "Thou Shall Not Kill". Opps...

Then we find ourselves in Step # 2, with the truth of "COMING TO BELIEVE" in a power grater than  ourselves. Coming to believe, to me, indicates a process that we are taken through where faith is applied. Step # 2 doesn't mean we have all the answers or that we are totally sold on this whole recover thing. What it does mean is that we are at a point in our addiction where we are ready to embrace a different way of living. Our heart and mind are looking outside of our own ability for the answer to our problem. 

So why is it some believe in this Jesus...
And some don't?
If I could answer that, I'd be a rich man. Well, maybe not rich but certainly famous.
The whole concept of what some refer to as "Free Will" or "having a choice" is a true mystery. There are some who have said that we don't really have free will. That when we stand outside of a relationship with Jesus, the only thing we can choose to do is sin. It may take the form of various levels of sin....from telling a "little white lie", to being a serial killer. We all have sinned and fallen short of God's glory. Some believe that we can't receive anything from God until He initiates it in our heart. In other words, part of the Holy Spirit's work is to convict us (show us our sin and the answer to our dilemma) and to point us to the answer to all our sin problems. That answer is found in a person, and that person is Jesus. 

We find the answer to this eternal question about free will and choices in Step # 2.
A POWER that is greater than us. A POWER who is capable of addressing every state of our human condition. Someone who can undo the dark damage that sin / addiction has wrought in our lives. We have reached that rock wall of truth and we can't seem to get around it or over it. IT looms before us like an ancient fortress. But this POWER , whose name is Jesus, lays hold of us when we arrive at the place where we believe in Him. When We believe that He is capable of doing for me what I cannot do for myself. At this place...the wall still standing and us with no answers, is where this POWER breaks through my unbelief and the process of climbing over the wall begins. What was impossible before, is now not only possible, but is taking place. WE are being shown and empowered to scale the wall and move on in our new life.

Unbelief....
doubt....
fear.....
All are a part of the human condition. IT is not a question of having unbelief, doubt or fear...it is a matter of who are you going to turn to when they rear their collective ugly heads in our life. 
Who will I turn to?
Easy....
Jesus.

God on you....
michael b.

RED LETTER FRIDAY

 

Matthew 7:27
And the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell and great was its fall.

Things coming down from above.....
Water rising from below.....
Winds blowing from all directions......
Being beaten from every side......
Collapse.
It wasn't sudden.
It wasn't unexpected.
It happened over a period of time.
But the outcome was never in doubt.
The house would not be able to stand against the weather.
The house itself was well built.
The foundation that was chosen for it to be built on wasn't.
It had no substance to it. It was not solid.
The foundation itself was subject to the weather.
It was affected by the rain, the flood and the wind.
The foundation offered no protection to those who built there.
It could not save them.

Need I write more?
Jesus.
Just Jesus.
On Him.
In Him.
That is the solid place.
A good place to store my faith.
To put my trust.
To secure my hope.
To bind my love.
To lash my salvation.
Jesus.
Just Jesus.

All else is passing away.
All else is crumbling.
Not my hope.
Hope in Jesus.
Just Jesus.

mb

AN EXHAUSTIVE STUDY OF WHAT WILL BE NEEDED TO FACE THE COMING MONTHS:

 Much study..............

Much prayer...............

Much interaction with others in seeking out the answer as to what will be needed to face the coming months.

He is All We Need!

God on you...

Mbb

OUR CALL----OUR MANDATE

 

I Timothy 1:4   Amplified Bible
Nor to give importance to or occupy themselves with legends (fables, myths)
and endless genealogies which foster and promote useless speculations and questionings rather than acceptance in faith of God's administration and the divine training that is faith (in the leaning of the entire human personality on God in absolute trust and confidence).

I am questioned, from time to time, by well meaning individuals who do not understand the nature of addiction. I do not take offense at their comments or questions.
The problems facing someone coming out of addiction are multi-layered and, without Christ, are insurmountable when approached with human will and spirit. In other words, the addict is overwhelmed by his destruction once they are sober. Too many issues to work through. Too many relationships destroyed. Too much restitution and fines to pay. Such is enough to send them back into the darkness. Couple this with the fact that an addict suffers from low self worth and you have a precarious situation.

Such is why our focus on Saturday nights is Just Jesus!
His saving power and grace, freely given to those who encounter a Step #3 moment. The revelation that we are not God. We are powerless and in need of someone greater than ourselves who could restore us to sanity. The thought that Jesus is the missing piece in our lives prompts us to turn will and life over to His care.

Over the past year, we have been teaching on what it means to be a follower of Jesus. To live by faith that He is who He claims He is, and will do what He has promised He would do. That is the key to sobriety and a new life. Such is why each Saturday, if you come to our service, the topic of the evening will be Jesus. We don't look into end-time events. We simply trying to live in the moment or, as A.A. proclaims, one day at a time. We firmly believe that God's end time plans will be carried out. We trust Him! With such knowledge, we attack the current day. God has granted us 24 hours to maintain an incredible gift that has eludes us for years. Sobriety. Knowing that we possess the ability to make a choice, we choose Christ. We choose to follow Him. Knowing that as we string together day's of sobriety, life will take care of itself. Yes, there will be hard times. Yes, there will be times when we face problems where there seemingly aren't any answers. But we stand on the firm foundation that Jesus IS that Higher Power that can see us through whatever comes our way.

The ReCovery Church On Broad is a place of acceptance. No matter where you are on this journey to recovery, we love you. If your still out there in your addiction, yet you have the desire to stop...come and join us. If you've got multiple years of sobriety, come and be a part. We are simply a gathering of people who have found value and life in Jesus. We belong to the greatest brotherhood and sisterhood of humanity ever to walk the face of the earth. Those who have been rescued from the hell of addiction. Dead men and women set loose from the tomb by the saving Power, grace and mercy of Jesus.
We are all on this journey of discovery.

Our goal is equip those who come with teaching and instruction that will enable them to leave, go back out and know how to follow Jesus. To have gratitude for what God has done for them, and give it away to others by sharing their story to those who need to hear it. In other words....we want to make disciples.

Hope to see you....

Mbb

CALL IT------HEADS! OR WHATEVER

 

Found myself having to make some hard decisions that I really didn't have answers to. Neither decision was bad, in and of itself, but neither was clear cut as being from God.

I'm kind of funny like that. I want to hear God on what to do before I make a decision or move forward with a project.

As my wife, Vicki, always says, "If He ain't talking.....I ain't walking."

This bit of council has served us both well over the years.

It kind of got me thinking as to many people make decisions based on their own ability or strength. Maybe they feel as though they are capable of handling most endeavors and don't need God. Maybe they feel God is too busy to fool with their problems, after all He is working on the middle East thing trying to bring peace. Why would God want to turn His attention from that to someone over here in Attalla, Alabama? Truth be known, God does want to answer us when we need direction.

Maybe I should just get over myself and realize that my need for God is greater than maybe I even realize. I dare not set myself up as the end all, know all, be all when it comes to God. The plans and directives of God do not involve us rolling dice, drawing of cards, karma, fate, luck, planets lining up or any other such foolishness.
It involves praying, crying out to God, waiting and listening and then and only when we have heard an answer, do we have permission to set out to carry through on what we have heard God say.

So, get rid of your lucky rabbits foot (how lucky was the rabbit), your 4-leaf clover and your good luck socks or underwear. Seek God....listen....do.

God on you.........

mb

AN OPEN LETTER TO ALL WHO ARE IN ADDICTION

 

(I first posted this back in October of 2012...thought it needed a 2nd look today)

Greetings;
I hate your meetings! I hate your Higher Power, Jesus Christ. I hate you and your program!
This letter is for all who come in contact with me. I wish you death, I wish you suffering!
Allow me to introduce myself. I am your addiction. Take your pick....alcohol or drugs....it doesn't matter to me.

I am cunning, baffling and powerful. That's me. And one more thing.....I am patient....if you try to get sober and clean....I will wait on you.
I have killed millions and I take great pleasure in doing so.

I love to catch you with the element of surprise. I love pretending that I am your friend and lover. Don't look at me like that! I have given you comfort, have I not? Wasn't I there when you were lonely? When you wanted to die, didn't you call me? I was always there for you. But....I love to make you hurt! I love to make you cry!

Better yet, I love it when I make you so numb you can neither hurt nor cry.
You can't feel anything at all. This is my true glory. I will give you instant gratification and all I ask of you is long term suffering. I've been there for you always. When things were going right in your life, you invited me in. You said that you didn't deserve good things in your life, and I was the only one who agreed with you.

Together we were able to destroy all the good things in your life. People don't take me seriously, which I find very funny.
They take heart attacks....
They take strokes seriously...
They even take diabetes seriously. Fools that you are, you don't know that without my help these things would not be a part of your life as quickly as they have.

Addiction! I am such a hated word----and yet, I did not come into your life uninvited. You chose to have me, so many have chosen me over reality and peace. More than you hating me, I hate all of you who have a 12 step program. Your programs, your meetings, your support, your Higher Power all weaken me and I can't function in the manner I am accustomed to. Now I must lie here quietly. I must wait for you to let your thinking turn back to your old ways.

When you only exist....I live.
When you live.....I only exist.
I wish you suffering and death.....

Yours truly.....
Addiction


mb

IT AIN'T ABOUT ME----IT AIN'T ABOUT YOU--- IT'S ABOUT SOMEONE HIGHER

 

Somehow society has laid claim to truth.. They claim to possess it. They scream about it to those who don't believe them. Notice that I said society. Our culture is built on the shifting sands of what has been deemed to be called truth. Unfortunately the truth they bandy about is built upon the dark hearts and desires of those who want to be free from any constraints at all. More than simply being free to ride the train to destruction, they seek to destroy any and everyone who would think, declare or stand against them. Truth in today's world is built upon shaky foundations that change and move as the desire of people change. The deeper society goes into the darkness of sin, the more redefining of truth we see. Why? In order to alleviate any guilt or judgment. If I do away with those two, then I am free to do what I want to and no one can accuse me of wrong.

To society, everything is open to being "redefined" because the old ways, the old definitions don't exactly suit their dark desires. Bottom line is that society seeks to rid any resistance. The funny part in all this drama is that they do not hold sole possession of truth, like they think they do. Nor do I. Oh, don't get me wrong. The one thing I hold to is God's truth. Did you catch that? It's His truth, not mine. My part is to simply point to Him.......His message.......His offer of new life. 

I think sometimes people can become so open-minded that their brains leak out (to paraphrase Steve Taylor). With all this truth that culture and society claims to have, I see a very dangerous turn ahead that I believe they cannot see.

Romans 1:18 / For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who SUPPRESS the truth in unrighteousness. I'm the brightest bulb in the box, but I do not believe that I would want to fall under God's wrath. Of course if you don't believe in God, then in your mind, there's nothing to worry about. If you don't believe in God, then truth simply becomes what you want it to be. Anything that comes against or challenges your belief is suppressed..........pushed down........ignored. 

Like I've said before on numerous occasions. We are going to all find out what really is THE truth in near future. When this day of reckoning happens, there will not be an "Do-overs"......."Oopsies".....or  "oh forgive me, I didn't know." The ultimate truth....God Himself....will stand before us and those who have rejected Him will have to give an account of their lives.

In John 14:6, Jesus makes a statement that lays out truth. Now what I love about Jesus is that when He makes statements like this, He is not begging to be understood....or that He's trying to convince you of what He said. No! He is simply stating truth and leaving who ever reads the verse to make a decision. Not a decision of the head (intellect) but of the heart. So what did Jesus say?

"I am THE way"---He is the direction we all need to move toward. Claiming to be the way or direction means that He is not calling us to something unknown. He knows fully well who He is and What He has been called to do. He also knows that if we move toward Him, then we will see life as we've never seen it before. Free from the dark redefining of truth as marked out by the human heart, but rather we will find ourselves standing the light of God's presence and word.

"I am THE truth"Interesting. First Jesus says that He is THE way and now that He is THE truth. He is not A way or A truth. He never claims to be one of many ways or many truths. Bottom line, as we said back in the 60's..."One Way To Jesus".

"I am THE life" Here is the end destination. If I turn and recognize Jesus as the only way, I will find myself moving through His ultimate truth and in this journey, I will find THE Life that is hidden in Christ as I make Him my Lord and Savior. This will connect me to the Godhead of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Sounds like a good deal to me.

God on you....

Mbb

TEACH ME TO STAY OUT OF THE WAY

 

Luke 1:38
....."Let it be to me according to your word".....

Mary's response to the angel Gabriel's announcement that she had been chosen to be the mother of Jesus. A simple reply. One that conveys a sense of "getting ones self out of the way." To put it bluntly, the angels proclamation to Mary is a pretty far out word.
Let's see...
"You've got plans of your own....but God has bigger plans. You're going to be impregnated and give birth to God." Yeah..that's pretty big stuff right there.
But Mary's response of "O.k. whatever your word has declared, then let it be done to me...I'll cooperate with you in this matter." ....Now this response isn't chicken feed, is it. She didn't say these words to placate the angel. She didn't let them roll off her tongue just to let them be empty promises. Her response was from the heart.

Now I know it might seem a stretch to you who are reading this posting, but the same mindset has to be in place as we begin this journey in recovery. "Let it be done to me according to your word."
In other words, I'm going to get out of the way...my will and life..and I'm no longer going to live according to what I want. Rather, I'm going to simply do what I know to do and follow your directions, O' Lord.

I have dealt with some people who make this recovery thing way to hard. They want to wrangle with the steps, questioning the "why" of doing them. They put up ten million reasons why they are so different and why it will be extra hard for them to live clean and sober. They balk at every turn and roll their eyes when you make statements of truth such as..."This can be the last rehab you have to go to!" These poor unfortunates actually are not ready for recovery. They want to take the principals of recovery and fit them into their current life. Well, it doesn't work that way. You don't fit recovery into your life. You don't fit Jesus into your life...you fit your life into Jesus. His life becomes your life.It's called being humble. It's called getting yourself out of the way, because "your self" has been your greatest enemy and roadblock to your own recovery.

Steve Yarbrough, founder of Rapha, use to say, "When you're sick and tired of being sick and tired..then you're ready to recover." When you quit asking questions at every turn, challenging the steps..then your ready. That is the heart and mind that is needed by an individual before the journey can begin. I don't care what brings you to rehab....whether you were court ordered or your momma made you...what I care about is how you leave. At some point during your stay in treatment...the lights should come on and you should come to the conclusion that you are powerless over your addiction. Or,as I like to put it..."Your best thinking...the top of your game, got you sitting in yellow chairs at white folding tables." If this is the best you can come up with...maybe you need to change the way you're doing business with life and the world.
When a proclamation is made as to your recovery...your response should be..."Let it be done to me according to the word of God."

Sounds to simple, doesn't it?
It's is simple.
Let everything be done according to God's directives for your life.
Get out of the way and let Him lead.

God on you...
mb

ONE EYE UP-----ONE EYE DOWN

 

Mark 13:33 and 37
Watch therefore.....
And what I say to you, I say to all............Watch!

The biggest thing about this new way of living we call recovery, is the need for attention. Attention to the details of our life that we have, in the past, not given one thought to. Paying attention to where our thoughts may roam to. People that we know we don't need to be around. Places that are now off limits because we find a greater value in living sober than in being somewhere.

If you have truly embraced Jesus...some would call it being saved or born again, then you have a dual purpose in watching. Jesus calls us to keep one eye (spiritually speaking) on His promises. Knowing that they are given to us for our safekeeping and to aid us as we walk through our day. I guess you could say that the number one promise He gave to us, is that He is going to return. Yep! That's right. Jesus is coming back. I know that some will pish-posh this notion. Call me loony....a daydreamer...an escapist....I don't care what you call me, just don't call me late when He does come back. Funny part in all this "coming back" is that we are called to watch and to pray. To go about our daily business here in this life, but to be keenly aware of what is going on around us in relation to God's work. By that I mean we need to always be listening for God's instructions. In my life, when God speaks, it is usually a very faint thought that goes through my mind. I have grown so accustom to it working this way, that when those thoughts come to me, I'm just crazy enough to believe God is leading me. Now, one other thing....I believe that God's "voice" becomes clearer as you study the Bible. The things I hear that I believe to be from God, never ever contradict what I have read in the Bible. In other words, God will never tell me...."Hey Michael...it's o.k. to have  beer or twelve." The more I digest the Word of God, the easier it becomes to hear God as I try to follow His leading in my daily activity.

The second part of this "dual watching" is that I am to watch for the plans and schemes of the devil. I Peter 5:8 tells me that my adversary/enemy walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. So, how does a lion operate? He surveys a herd of animals and looks for the weakest, the oldest, the most crippled...He uses his roar to instill fear and hesitation in the herd. It doesn't take a Seminary graduate to see that fear is the chief weapon used in addiction. Fear of the unknown.........fear of the known...........fear of detox........fear of being found out..........fear of well, to put it bluntly...everything. Fear causes us to freeze and we become easy prey for our enemy, the devil. But God gives a promise to those who have made Jesus Christ their higher Power....(that's a recovery way of saying "LORD and Savior)..... II Peter 5:10 - But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. Every one of those things mentioned in this verse are the very things we did not have when we were living in addiction. To be perfected......established.......strengthened.......and settled. These are just a few of the promises from God to us.
Think on this today.....

God on you.....
mb

CARE?

 

Jude : 22-23
You must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.

Society and culture tells me I should care.
I should care about climate change.....
I should care about the rain forest.....
I should care about gun violence......
I should care about politics.......
I should care about human trafficking.....

Society and culture infers that I am a bad person if.....
I don't care about people who enter this country illegally.....
I don't care about the rights of others who are oppressed.....
I don't care that the Palestinians don't have a homeland......
I don't care about all the many different species of animals that are almost extinct.......
And the list goes on and on, and on and on of situations and causes that I should care about....
Well, there isn't enough of me to care.....
Doesn't mean I don't....I do!
There just isn't enough of me to go around to actually do something about this list.

The one thing that society and culture will never tell me to care about are the souls that enter hell each day when they die.
You'll never hear society and culture rail against sin and the eternal (and final) consequences that seals a persons fate when the die without ever really knowing who Jesus is.......Never knowing what He has done to provide them with an abundant life here and now....as well as eternal life upon their death.

You'll never hear society and culture rail against the injustice of sin....
How it destroys families through addiction......
Oh there will be bills passed, and much chest thumping by speech makers who will talk about our "war on drugs". But the war on drugs is useless when the human heart is not taken into consideration as the cause for a person to use.
When we reject God as the only source of real life to someone trapped in addiction, we place ourselves as "god" to determine the remedy for addiction.

IN fact, I would be as bold to say that SIN is the cause for every problem that this planet faces today. Our solution is to wear different color ribbons on our lapel to show that we care more than others. To go about offering symbolic events that have no effect what so ever to the problem that is our current cause.

Long ago, God showed me that I was to care about one thing, and one thing only.....The souls of people.
The solution? The cross of Christ.....
His death and resurrection....
His blood shed as payment for our sin.....
That is why you'll never hear me teach on the deeper mysteries of God.
He won't let me.....
I have one message,and one message only....

II Corinthians 2:2
For I decided that while I was with you I would know nothing except Jesus Christ , and Him crucified.

Call me a dreamer...
Call me crazy, but somehow I believe if we all could come to the saving knowledge of what Paul wrote about in II Corinthians, all that other stuff might just work out.

God on you.....
mbb

SPIRITUAL HORTICULTURE

 

Psalm 1:3
He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that brings forth its fruit in season.  Whose leaf also shall not wither, and whatever he does shall prosper.

II Timothy 3:1
But know this, that in the last days, perilous (stressful / dangerous) times will come.

One verse speaks of strength and prospering.
The other talks of events and situations that will tax the mental, emotional, and spiritual state of a person.
One verse uses symbolic language that reflects a need to be grounded.....to be established....to be firmly planted.
The other reveals that time is moving close and closer to a definite close. 
Can these two verses coexist in the same moment?
I think so.
In fact, I think we are living them out right now.
Usually when you mention the "last days" people go all crazy with talk of Revelation, the beast, the mark of the beast....and all the other apocalyptic verses found in Scripture. Let's tone it back a bit. Let's take a look at today. Right now. Here. October 9, 2014.

In the past, I have written about how the month of October has always been a time or season of change in what God was doing. It seemed that the spiritual air around me took a new direction and I would see God at work in ways previously not noticed by me. 
Well, it seems that the wind has shifted and people are seemingly under emotional and mental stress. I go back to the verse in II Timothy because of the wording used. In the last days, events will happen that will tax a persons ability to function in every day life. The pressures of the day and our inability to cope with them will reveal exactly who we turn to and who we really believe in.  In other words, the real "US" comes out when we are under stress. What we really believe will be made evident (to ourselves) when we find ourselves in times of great mental and emotional anguish.

The verse from Psalms 1 gives us a wonderful picture of how we can survive, and even thrive during these times of stress. It all comes down to where you are planted. It all comes down to who your foundation is. That would be our Higher POWER Jesus. When the affairs of the day seem to be closing in on us, and we feel as though life is being sucked from us, where do we turn? Do we truly fall upon Christ and let His Power and person become the bedrock of our emotions? Or do we try to weather the time in our own ability and strength?

If you are a person who has come out of addiction, stressful times will stir up old thoughts and emotions if you aren't grounded in Christ. The thoughts of using will flood over you. Why? Because Using was the bedrock of your old life. Hard times come....run away.  Stressful times come.....go use. But now, in this new life, we turn to Christ. IN fact, our need for Him is the same as our need for air to breath. I need Jesus no matter what the times are. I need Him whether I'm have the day from hell, or everything is sunshine and lollipops. I had someone tell me that Jesus was just a crutch from people who are to weak to stand on their own. That person meant it as a sarcastic remark. I took it to be truth. He is a crutch for weak people. The incredible truth was that the individual who made the remark could not even see that he was cripple himself.  In fact, less than a year after making this remark, he took his own life. I wish that he'd met my "crutch". 
And I do not make that statement in a "I told you so" haughtiness. I do so with a broken heart for this person and their family who still struggle with his death. 

The Psalm 1 verse tells us that life is all about location, location, location. 
It's is about who your are planted in and near.
When we place ourselves in Christ, we are plugged into a source of life that will enable us to go through whatever storms come our way. Jesus alone is the only real source of life.
Now it may just be a by product of my age....
getting older....
but it seems to be that times have grown darker spiritually.
It seems that society has lost its way and runs by majority opinion these days.
Good has become bad...
And evil is celebrated with great gusto.
I think our day and time would fall under the II Timothy heading of perilous times, stressful time.
So I guess the question begs to be asked....
"Where are you planted?"

God on you...
mb

NOT SURE WHY I WROTE THIS ONE

 

So much going on around me .....People venting (I want to vent)....People posting words that are tinged with anger and frustration ( I am frustrated and angry). So why don't I join in. Because everyone is yelling (even in their typing) but no one is truly listening. Our attention has been brought down from focusing on heaven to putting it square on this world and the madness that has been loosed.

Some blame the Democrats....Some lay it at the feet of the Republicans. Some want the head of the President........Others wave the flag and say "God bless this nation." In all the madness, the rule and reign of God has been largely forgotten. God is not inept. He is not old and feeble. He has not lost control of this world or the plans He has that we read about in Scripture. If anything, People have taken their heart away from Him.

Oh we can blame the church for what ails us....We can blame the government for all the wrong. We can even divide up and and point to skin color for the pain and wrong in our society. While those things may have some truth, the real problem has been  (And always will be) the state of the human heart.

All the running around trying to redefine marriage or what gender is, is nothing more that humanity suffering from the effects of thousands of years of sin-rule. We don't like the truth so under the influence of sin, we seek to redefine what our hearts truly want.

The 60's was the "free love" generation. Another slick label for "have sex without any consequences" .  As my generation grew older, we saw the damaging effects of this. Why get married? We're gonna divorce anyway. So let's just shuck marriage all together and move in with one another. Poor old white trash folks like me use to call this "Shackin' up" and there was not a good thing about this.At first it carried a shame with it, but now we've become so progressive and enlightened that it is the norm. In fact sex has been reduced to a transaction between two people. Love who you want when you want, then get up and leave. Kind of sad to me.

Then we took it one step further.....we proclaimed a new freedom for women as they found liberty in being able to have an abortion. But you know....no one really wants to talk about the effects that such a procedure has on the woman. Talk use to be about "back alley" abortions....now the "back alley" is filled with women who are having all manner of emotional trouble and don't understand why their hearts are empty and hurting.. Yep! I said it. That which was in the womb isn't fetal material...or a fetus. It was a baby. 

I could go on and on, but I don't think I will. You see, for all the wrong in our nation, our state, our county and our city, there has been and continues to be only one answer. Jesus Christ and His offer of salvation. The world wants to gauge this salvation thing based on how the church is viewed. Can I shock you one more time? Salvation is not dependent on the church as others have defined what church is. Salvation is THE gift of God Himself. He is the only one who can lift humanity out of the muck and mire of a nation drowning in sin.

The world thinks itself to be wise and informed as to the workings of the Kingdom of God. I think maybe Paul wrote it best in Romans..."Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of God for idols to worship."  Right now, the world worships the idol of "SELF"...they bend their knees to it. They give their tithes and offerings to it. but in their blindness and foolishness, they do not see that the real force in such belief is their hidden enemy, Satan.

Am I all "doom and gloom' today? Nope, I'm not. I am confident in God's rule and reign. So today, I will go about my business with one eye here and one on the sky. One ear listening to the sounds of this world, and one listening for a trumpet.  Should I die today, I will do so confident in my going home to be with Christ. Should I live another day,  I will do so in the knowledge that He has given me one more day. 

I Thessalonians 5:18 -  Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

God on you...

Mbb

"PAY ATTENTION BOY----I SAY PAY ATTENTION"

 

Nehemiah 13:30

"So I purged out everything foreign and assigned tasks to the priests and Leviites, making certain that each knew his work."

Read this verse this morning during my quiet time.
Nehemiah and his group have returned from exile to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
Here at the end....
After the walls have been restored....
After the priests have been assigned....
Nehemiah recognizes a great truth.
He gets rid of everything foreign....
Every outside influence that might draw Israel back into sin was discarded.

Now don't read into this Scripture "BUY AMERICAN!!!"
In relation to us and our relationship with Jesus, we need to be aware that there are foreign things in our behavior...our attitude....our very lives that we have allowed to come in. These things do have an influence and they do war for with the things of God. The foreign things (another term would be profane) seek to usurp or overthrow the influence of the ways of God.  The foreign things seek to soothe and feed our flesh (our sin nature), thereby lulling us into a false sense of what is right and wrong.
Nehemiah purges every thing foreign.....
What falls under "every thing? Every thing!
He doesn't compromise with it.
He doesn't seek to appease it.
He casts it out for it serves no purpose to the plans of God.

We must always be vigilant in our relationship and weigh every thing that comes our way as to whether it is from God or something "foreign" trying to weasel its way into our lives.
I truly do want to grow up before I grow older.
I am thankful for these lessons that God is showing me daily.
I pray the peace of God and His mercy and grace be directed to you today!

God on you........
mb