Whose Temple Are You Building?

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The Book of Joel, Ezra and Haggai.

One of the episodes in my book is titled, Never Promised You a Rose Garden. It outlined a time in my life where I thought once you pledged your life to God as You Understand Him, Jesus or God(Good Orderly Direction), your existence on this earth would be a grand affair. Life would be in abundance and everything that pained me would subside. It was a point where I had to decide to give up some pretty significant bad habits, or else. At the same time, my marriage fell victim to adultery. I also admitted to my Company Commander I was a drug addict and shortly thereafter I was arrested for DUI.  Not particularly a rosy scenario. I was exposed to the error of my ways which I had made of my own free will.   On top of all that, I was granted custody of a baby to care for.  I half-heartedly acknowledged God, but was more resentful to Him than anything else. Through a well intentioned group of individuals, I was figuratively being “drug” to a better life, kicking and screaming. I was given a set of rules to live by in and I was told if I did these things my life would get better.  I started believing it and it did get better, but only for a while because I was under temporary grace.

Be as it may, I am never satisfied. My nature is to always seek the next higher level. Once I get to one plateau, I admire the view, take a deep breath and climb higher. Now that has a good side and a bad side to it. Continue reading →

Does God Correct the Ones He Loves?

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In preparing spiritually for this piece, I thought the title, “Nunya Business”, had things pretty well sewn up.  As is usually the case with me, I get the title first, which prompts article content.  Once the title is in place, then God and I begin constructing the article. But, nooooo, not this time! That would make things a little too simple and predictable.

As I was visiting my mother-in-law, still inwardly contemplating how I should proceed in writing, I heard the proverbial “small voice inside” twice interrupt my thoughts saying, “Ask her for a verse.” So, in obedience, I asked my mother-in-law for a verse of Scripture.  She immediately responded with Isaiah 43:1-4.  Of all the verses she could have chosen! This was the catalyst that started my diligent course of study for this writing. In so doing, I referenced several Bible translations and quickly discovered that various study notes kept referring to this particular passage in Isaiah as a “transitional verse” connected to Isaiah chapter 42.  Without a doubt, my next big adventure had begun!  Continue reading →

Writer’s Block, Disobedience or Lack of Permission?

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     If you are new to my writings, you might ask, “Where is he coming from?” You might even ask the same question if you have followed all my writings.  Either way, as I write this, I am not experiencing the preverbal writer’s block I have osculated with over the past thirty days.  Call me old fashioned, but we have all heard the statement, “If you don’t learn from history, you are doomed to repeat it.” At the end of the day, we are all human, we are all subject to sin and we all fall short of the Glory of God.  It doesn’t matter who says different, that is the Truth.   No one holds all the cards, except the Father.

     We all have hopes and dreams; we all want to live in peace.  Even in politics, everyone is trying to attain something they believe will make it a better place for all, even if it means getting rid of the competition.  They either write laws in an attempt to get out of your life or write laws that continue to squeeze life out of you. Everyone fights for something – land, control, power, their way, to be right, for liberty, for a God-centered world, to be with the Father or to taste heaven on earth and some fight for a Godless world.  Even in our spirits there seems to be a fight ensuing to get more out of life with peace being the means to an end. However, the place of some of our biggest battles are fought between our ears.  Am I right or almost right?

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What’s the Problem?

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For the past couple of weeks I have been struggling on my journey. I had been reading the thirteenth chapter of every book in the Bible that had one, based on a thought I was given, in regards to a lesson I heard the night before, during prayer. Just something different to do. As I started writing this piece, I began questioning my stance on certain issues, were they too strong regarding some of the false prophecy’s and interpretations, or lack there of, in the Bible?  I had started part three of “Love is a Battlefield” but kept hearing, “Your beating a dead horse.”  I even struggled with not getting something out within my week and half routine.  But, as I was struggling with time, I found I was also struggling with the words. Truly God is guiding me down this path.  I find that I am beginning to question the frequency of certain things I’m hearing from many around me.  I’m trying to understand the fine line between truth and fallacy when it comes to what the Bible says and what people are preaching or saying. I knew I couldn’t just put something out for the sake of completing the task because if this is my calling, then it has to be God’s words flowing through me and not mine.  I kept saying to myself as I was writing this, “What is the problem?  What am I trying to say?”  I admit I had temporarily lost the joy in my heart.  I felt that God was trying to show me something but also thought, “could something else be trying to keep the truth from me and at the same time try to persuade me to write from my ego and say something wasn’t possible?” Continue reading →

Whose Word are you Standing On?

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1 Kings 13 and others

As I was trying to piece together what God wanted me to write about this week, I was  led to a thought about who is saying what,  what people are saying about who was saying what and how they felt about what was being said, in regards to everything spiritual.  Everyone is talking about someone and reading something someone has written and passing it on. Then a new conversation is struck saying have you read this.  Even I am wanting you to read what I am saying  but, I am trying to convince you to listen to God above all else..

As this message was building  in me I saw my wife reading the quote below and I asked her to forward it to me. The next morning I read 1 Kings 13 and I was floored at God’s awesome wonder.  So let me tell you what God is saying to me through his Word.  I know some may say this is old school,  because many today in our Christian circles  are clamoring for something fresh. However, fresh should not replace Truth.  When in doubt pull the Bible out, because for me, the Word is becoming more alive each passing day.  There are a lot of us that still haven’t grasped what is in Bible  and are looking for fresh spiritual insight and knowledge  which might lead to something sour or unbiblical..
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In Loving Memory of one of God’s Precious Daughters

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My eulogy for Yvonne Masse who passed away 4/5/2012, Holy Thursday three years ago. Please share with me the life of one of God’s precious daughters.

∞

It has often been said that funerals are for the living.  That being said, Funerals clearly are a time of reflection:  on the loved one, on life and on death, and they are a time of introspection for many of us. Many times in the past as I sat in a memorial service, I wondered what people might say about me when my day comes. Will the room be packed or will it only be those who feel obligated to be there? I have been to both types of funerals. What will the banner of my life announce to those I have left behind? Will that one person show up who I had a brief encounter with and pass along some profound moment in time when I was the help they needed, or that I simply walked by them, indifferent.
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Love is a Battlefield: Part 2 The Fog of War

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Satan works most strongly on the fancy when the soul is drowsy. The soul’s security is Satan’s opportunity to fall upon the soul and to spoil the soul.

-Thomas Brooks

After Zar had left the room, General Mikel look over at Holisp with a questioning eye.

“Ahhhh, I see you have your doubts.  I am sure you are asking yourself, Why did  she send him off by himself?” Holisp said with a quip, but continued.  “After all this time, lest you forget, this is still a team effort. The battle is fought not only on a physical but the spiritual realm.  They are as interwoven as the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, but still distinct in different ways.  Each requires the other to establish their full glory.  We are not here to answer every whimsical request to flatter the unbelieving bystanders.  As a junior officer Zar must understand that while he is obeying orders from High Command, he must know his assignment and not just watch over him. How else is he to protect him!  It is crucial that Zar learn this as they both walk in their new roles.  Until the seals are broken this is how it must be for everyone.  We must protect the ones who are aligned with us, shepherd and guide as many as we can to us.”

General Mikel stiffened, like Zar had,  after hearing these words.  “Yes, I do agree wholeheartedly, but Zar’s zeal and enthusiasm can get ahead of him at times.  In light of this, we also suffer casualties.”

“You don’t think I’m not aware of this. This is not a static environment, you and everyone of your officers have the capacity to learn as the Will of High Command unfolds.  As a junior officer he is the match made in Heaven for his assignment Rappaj.   One will fuel the other, once they  realize they are working together.  Just like a father allows his child to grow through bumps and bruises, so we must allow our officers to grow as well.  They’re our mouthpiece just like the other communication channels we use to keep our troops informed. And now that the Fog is shielding our view in many cases,  we must work harder to stop it from engulfing the innocent.” Continue reading →

Love is a Battlefield: Part 1

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Nestled between the Cherubic Mountains, High Command’s Intelligence Division had recently converted a majestic mountain chateau into its central base of operations. With its  picturesque lake just to the front and a fertile valley that stretched for miles to the left, there was nothing left for the imagination to conjure. The landscape was  breathtakingly vivid and the lake sparkled like a sea of diamonds as the wind very gently brushed the surface and the sun set past the water’s edge.

General Mikel  wearing a red cape over his towering build and dark shoulder length hair was an imposing figure to say the least who was embracing the view in front of him. He had recently been asked to gather intel  of the seemingly ageless conflict. He  had spent the day meeting with various lieutenants trying to ascertain the condition of his forces and the surprisingly competent rag tag army they were in charge of. Tired from the mixed reports he was receiving, he tried to take this moment and clear his thoughts, when  his favorite junior officer was presented. Continue reading →

There’s Foxes Trying to Get in the Chicken Coop

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Song of Solomon 2:15

Catch us the foxes, The little foxes that spoil the vines, for our vines have tender grapes.

I never understood this verse until now.  I was reading a book and Charles Spurgeon was quoted saying that we need to be careful of little foxes in the vineyard. The book itself, for me, Sin No More by Michael L. Brown, started out as a rehashing of  things I know but, it got me thinking.

“Sin is bad in the eye, worse in the tongue, worse still in the heart but worst of all in the life.”   Thomas Brooks

I have a special place in my heart for foxes for whatever reason.  My old house had a fox who frequented my yard.  I would catch sight of the mother, at about 6:45 in the morning after a rain.  Other times I would see her on the edge of the woods just sitting there at night, when we turned on the light to let the dog out.  She was not a small fox either.   However, I will never forget the first time I heard that screech she made during mating season. It scared me to death, in the middle of the night, and she was right outside my bedroom window.  How could something so beautiful emanate that sound, over time she always get closer to the house, always watching.  However, I loved looking out for her. We had a bird feeder and the entire food chain was present: birds, squirrels, chipmunks, mice, hawks, possums,  snakes and occasionally a coyote, but she watched and then there were the neighborhood emails asking if anyone had seen their cat.  Why yes we had seen them but no more….. Continue reading →

In Your Corner Wearing White

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In your corner wearing white, from the realm of the big angels, our number one contender.    Today we  will discuss Supernatural, Seeker Sensitive Churches, what they do, what they say and what they might not be disclosing to you outright. This writing is broken into three rounds first the background and second the challenge of professed end time views  and the unveiling.

I’ve heard before is it not good practice to criticize or speak about another ministry in a negative manner.  I am sure it goes back to verses  Mark 9:38-41.

 38 John said to Him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we tried to prevent him because he was not following us.” 39 But Jesus said, “Do not hinder him, for there is no one who will perform a miracle in My name, and be able soon afterward to speak evil of Me. 40 For he who is not against us is for us.

 However, two verses later, this is just as powerful as the first.

42 “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe to stumble, it would be better for him if, with a heavy millstone hung around his neck, he had been cast into the sea.

But what do you do if you see something or hear something that completely goes against what you know to be true.  What do you say when an underlying belief is not readily told. Continue reading →