Apology Accepted

Apology Accepted

I often frequent a used bookstore located by my house. The man that runs it, will always ask me questions. Often he says, "I don't know how you do it." "How do you remember this?" But the question, "Have you always been like this?" Stopped me cold.

Sadly, my testimony is one littered with junk, scars for me, and scars for those that knew me for many years.. yes even down to my childhood. Matter in fact, if I could have a dollar for every person I have hurt in my past..I would be richer then Bill Gates!!

So why would I even go here? I have such a interesting bitter sweet story to tell you.. and how it turned out.

In my School days..I knew a girl..that just wanted to be my friend. Her name was Amy Smith. Now, because I wanted to fit in with the crowd..I gave her such a hard time..being mean, saying mean things.. and yet..I was never part of the crowd.. the "crowd" still rejected me. Yet still, Amy hung on my mind for years to come.

So browsing through "Facebook" the other day..I stopped on a name, and a picture..and the memories came sweeping back.."Amy Smith".

So I clicked on her and sent her a friend request.. not expecting her to accept...and yet she did. Right away God convicted me to apologize to her for the past.. and I went to God in prayer for 24 hours of "HOW" to apologize to someone I had hurt so bad many years ago. You know, God gave me the words.. and it was the right thing to do. I messaged her..and she returned my message with a reply. Her pain is still quite evident in her typing..and yet.. she forgave me. Apology Accepted...

Now, I want to ask each and everyone out there.. is there someone in your past..that you have hurt, that you have not made right? It may have been years ago...but Amy and I can both attest that WORDS LEAVE SCARS! Words hurt powerfully bad..and words can destroy...

However, words can also build up.. rebuild.. heal and encourage also.

Just like the words from the song, "I am not who I was" By Brandon Heath, I am wanting to build a lasting friendship with Amy.. and instead of words that hurt her...I want to give her words that a friend that loves you can speak..and mean from the heart.. with love.. with sincerity, to encourage and rebuild.

If you have hurt anyone in the past.. please..take the time to find them. Pray for God to lead you to them and make it right. It may have been 30 years ago..but it is never too late to say, "I am sorry." (Chances are..they will still be hurting.)

Amy, thank you so much for letting me use your name in this. I truly hope we can build a friendship on this..that will last forever.

To the guy at the bookstore... Nope... I was not always this way... But I am forgiven by God...for those mistakes in my past..

Apology Accepted.....

Jesus Christ paid that painful price.. for my sins.. so that He can look at me and say.... Forgiven!

Just as he can all of you out there......

You Is..What You Is...

You Is What You Is

Now.. if my old English Teacher EVER checks out the things I blog, I just know he will cringe on the Title of this blog alone.. You Is...What you Is....and,
You Aint..what you Aint..

Now...let us take a look at this..
1. You Are Human (You are not inhuman) One would hope anyways.
2. You are either Male..or your female.
3. It is either Light or dark.
4. You either Know something, or nothing at all about given situations.
5. You are either inside..or your outside.

But...let us take it a bit more of a look..
You are either hot..or your cold....

Rev 3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

You are either for God..or your against God.

Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Rom 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

We are either FOR GOD...or Against God

1Jn 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
1Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
1Jn 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1Jn 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

So.. You is what you is.. if you love God..obeying God and doing HIS will for your life.. will not be a problem.

Jesus Said,
John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

And if You is, who you is.. and you aint..what you aint....

let me ask you this.. WHO ARE YOU SERVING??
Are you serving God? Are you serving yourself? Are you serving the devil? What does your testimony tell others you are??

The music you listen to... is it of God? Are the lyrics lifting up the commandments of God..or is it lifting up the devil?

The shows and movies you watch.... is it pleasing to God?

Remember you is..what you is.. you Aint what you Aint...

God is on the throne

I do believe that we will all agree that we are flesh, and we are weak.

Since Aug. of this year my family has been going thru trials right and left. In Aug. my littlest brother had been told he had a spot on his lung. They said it was cancer. They run him thru the EKG's, lung compacity test, stress test, did a biopsy on his lung and lots of blood work. Now mind you, in 1992 our mother had been diagnosed with cervical cancer. She had all the tests to prove that she had cancer. God provided. The EKG's for my brother came back as ok except he found out that that he only had 2 valves ( or something like that when everyone else has 3) He was born without one of them. His lung compacity, stress test all came back great. The blood work came back ok. All they had was the spot on the xrays. Even the biopsy came back as "NO RESULTS". Anyways, thru this whole thing I knew that I knew that he didn't have cancer. They removed the lower half of his left lung and when the pathology report came back, the answer? An infection. Bingo, God on the move. He showed up and showed off.

Now, in Sept. My husband got sick with a common cold and 24 hrs. later he started complaining of a headache and double vision. At first I thought, like most wives that he was kind of blowing it all out of preportion just like most men do, so I let it go until Monday. Our son took him to the ER and they run all kinds of tests on him. They even ran a CT-Scan on his head. Came back with a tumor in his pituitary gland. Our son works with a man that my husband knows and he came up to our son and said, " I don't know why I have to tell you this but God said to tell you, the devil is a loser, and everything will be alright". I took it and accepted it. The dr. said he was shipping us off by ambulance 100 miles away and since I don't like to travel I kind of got upset over it. Still knowing that God is on the throne. My brother came and took me home and sat with me for a while and I witnessed to him stating that when our mom had cancer, I failed badly, when the dr. told us my brother had cancer, I did just fine. Now it is in my own house. I cried and told him that I was going to get thru this the first time so I didn't have to go thru it again, or at least this partiular trial. I wrote to my best friend on line and was telling her about this whole thing and then told her about what our son's co-worker had told him. All of a sudden, 5 words hit me like a brick. "The devil is a loser". Those 5 words my best friend and I say almost every day. We truly believe them. I started laughing and crying at the same time. God knew what 5 words to use to get my attention. I was fine from then on.

The next day we left for Texas and then the following day my husband had his surgery. They got it all. Praise the Lord. I knew they would because I trust in the Lord. He had NO swelling, NO brusing, NO pain, NO anything. Never had any pain medication at all. Praise the Lord. We came home 3 days later. Through this whole thing I never doubted God and his wisdom. We have had a few problems since this but no big deal.

All of sudden today, I get some news about finances and wham, the devil had a foot hold and I got upset. Not too bad but enough to get me upset a little. Anyways, feeling sorry for myself, wishing I had someone to talk to, all of a sudden my best friend pops up online. Let me tell ya, this girl has a knack of setting you straight and using the precious Word of God to do it. I was making a comment about money and how come the rich don't have these kinds of problems. LOL She throws this scripture at me;
"Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:" Rev. 3:17
Then she tells me that if we have no needs, we won't need God. Let me tell you, I need God in every part of my life. She then tells me to close my eyes and and say " I am a duck" of course I laughed but did as she requested. Then she tells me to think of it raining. As it is raining on the duck, the water just runs off of its back. ( from book written by Karen Scalf Linamen) Never stopping to soak in. Well, I started feeling better and then she tells me that that is the way we should be when we have problems. Let them roll off of our backs like water off of a ducks back.

Good advice. Read the Word of God, stay in the Word and never give the devil footholds in your lives. He will use it to his advantage. We are not the devils property, we belong to God and was bought with a price. I Cor. 6:20

Always remember where your help comes from. God will never put more on you that you are able to bear. I Cor. 10:13

God loves each and every one of you and promises to take care of you.

I know for a fact that he is taking care of me.

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Phil. 4:13


But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Phil. 4:19

You Need to Check this out!

There are many issues that we are dealing with in today's society. These issues are not just economical. While the focus of our presidential running mates have been on the economical issues it is the moral issues that must be at the forefront of our thinking. When we look at the moral issues it is easy to see why we as Christians must stand up and be heard. Before I go to far into this post I want you to go to this link and view it because I feel that if you do not go to this link you simply will not read this blog. So here it is.

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1815820715/bctid1822459319

If you have watched this video I hope that you are as appalled as I am. I pray that you will re-post this on all of your other sites. We are in a time where we are being given a clear choice to make and that choice is going to dictate the condition of America's heart. It is going to show us what is more important to 'we the people' and will dictate what will happen next. While you can sit there and make arguments regarding both candidates not being perfect there is one candidate that has made a stand regarding moral issues. He has given us his stand on abortion and same sex marriages and while he appears to be losing in the debates the truth is that he shines when the discussion is brought around to morals (abortion). Please know that I am not here to tout John McCain I am here to tout Jesus Christ. I am here to promote His concepts and standards. If 'we the people' chose to elect economic change then we are telling God that morals are not as important as the economy. We are telling Him that we have no problem with sin as long as we are making money. We are saying that we don't believe that you are in control, nor do we think you will take care of us and dear friends the end of this type of thinking is certainly going to be judgment. If you don't believe me just take a look in the Old Testament. Look in Jeremiah for one, look in Deuteronomy, Isaiah and anywhere else that has the children of Israel choosing the things of the world over the things of God. When God tells us that if we would live for Him and abide by His rule then He will provide then we must honestly consider what are the main issues of this campaign. Should they not be moral issues? The choice is yours. God has always given us free will and it has always been that free will that keeps us from a relationship with Him. I pray that the video you watched awakens you to what is forth coming not only on this issue but any issue that is not tolerant of their own desires. Preach about sin; go to jail.

God's People letting God's People Suffer

My husband had been told this past month that he had a tumor in his pituitary gland and that it needed to be removed. We had to go out of town and out of state in order for him to have this done. While Fern was in there he got a message from God.

God told him that he was grieved that his people are not helping other Christians. That "Christians" are not praying for, ministering to, or visiting his people. They are not seeing to the needs of his people and his people are falling by the wayside.

We had a chance to experience this first hand during out time with Fern's health. I had called on a ex- asst. pastor as ours has moved out of town and explained the situation to them and asked if they would come to the hospital and pray with us and visit with us. They agreed. Well there was a no show. We then contacted our song leader at the church and he agreed to come and visit, while I was on the phone, he prayed for us. He was unable to come as he had been working but he did call often, as did his wife. We then contacted another minister that we had visited their church during one of the grandkids' VBS, the pastor's wife works at the hospital here and I asked her if her husband could come and pray and she said yes, so we called. He was down there in 15-20 min. Talked with us, read from the Bible and then prayed with us. I have contacted him a couple of times and I still have yet to hear from him. Our song leader did call and check on us tho.

What is happening? How can we as Christians allow this to happen to God''s people.

I contacted a friend of my dad's last night as she is having a hard time with her husband being in the nursing home now due to a fall and hitting his head. She says that he is out of it most of the time. As I listened I remembered what God had told Fern as she was saying the same thing about her situation. She also has a friend (?) that was in need of his churches help and his wife working at a store would constantly ask if they needed anything to please contact them. Well, guess what? No one showed up. To this day, his church has not bothered to check on them at all.

The Bible says that the devil is walking to and fro seeking whom he may devour. That he is here to kill, steal and destroy. The Bible also says that we have power over the devil and that he is defeated.

Tell me why, as Christians, that we do not take care of our own? The world takes care of theirs. It just amazes me that people say they love you and yet won't stick out a hand of help. We sometimes wonder why more people don't come to God, could this be the reason? Knowing that the world cares more about them than God's people?

I am ashamed to say that I have fallen in this catagory before, but I try hard not to now. I try to remember to always pray for those in need and if I forget their names or their need then I just pray a blanket prayer because God knows what they need.

Please people of God, don't let this happen anymore. Help those who need the help. Don't wait for someone to yell or ask for help. Be observant enough and follow the leading of God and watch for the needs of others. Help take care of God's people. The world seems to be doing a better job than we are. What does that say about us?

Free Halloween Booklet for Download..

Growing up, I was the kid not allowed to dress up and go door to door to beg for those yummy sweet treats that is a tradition of Halloween..

I understood those reasons and convictions my parents upheld.. and yet when my children were born..I wanted them to partake in the fun I had missed out on.. But in doing this..I was wrong..very wrong...

For this reason..I am posting a link to a friend, Evangelist, John Muncy's web site.
When I read this book, I horrified to the tradition and the meaning that I was helping to celebrate.

This is a great book... and Evangelist John Muncy is offering it as a FREE DOWNLOAD for a short time!!!!
http://www.johnmuncy.com/John_Muncy/Welcome.html
While your over there...feel free to send him a thank you! and a note of encourgment. This book is simply amazing!

Also he has some wonderful resources, sermons, books etc....
If you have not read his book on "The Role of Rock"
I suggest you get it!!! This book was a big eye opener to me on what I was subjecting myself too..in the form of entertainment.

Enjoy!!!!
God Bless!
Paula

ICarly.. a show to Tweens?

A rather new show on Nickelodeon is ICarly. The kids became quite famous filming short videos things just escalated from there.
The Commercials actually struck my attention this weekend, when both leading ladies (preteens) were fighting over one boy, which they tell you on their website http://www.icarly.com/ How hot he is and tells you to click a link and see for yourself how hot the boy is.

They strike up a deal, the first one to kiss him, wins. Basically even the argument, the one girl accuses the other of her "special helping bra".

Now if you have children, or plan on having children. You know one thing. You want your children to remain pure. You teach them to not get promiscuous with the opposite sex.

But how can this be attained if we let our children watch these kind of shows?
Even on one commercial, one of the girls tells everyone of a new episode. It then cuts to a young man fresh out of the shower in a towel..and she says, "No, not nude, New!" So once again..attention is directed in the wrong kind of attention.

I know when you put on a channel for children, we expect our children to be able to watch shows that are adequate for your age, and yet this is not happening.

Face it.. the devil is after our kids,and he is coming boldly after them.
If you go to the site..even check out their new game. Click on Iplay..and see for yourself this game that is intended for our kids.

To me, I refuse to let my kids watch this one. Teach your kids now what is acceptable, and what is not.. look carefully over that site and see for yourself what are kids are finding in entertainment.

Talk with your kids openly. Explain to them what is acceptable and what is not.

God Bless

Ray Boltz..Comes out of the closet...

I was broken hearted when I was sent this article from the Washington Blade.

Ray Boltz, whom has sold 4.5 million records admits openly he is gay.
For those of you that do not know who Ray Boltz, you may remember his songs, "Thank You", "The Anchor Holds", along with many other inspirational songs that many have clung to in worship around the world since the 90's.

As I read this article, I was moved to tears, as I have witnessed so many lately that I love, know and respect fall away from the Lord. And yet..as I trailed through the comments left.. the 2nd from the bottom on that article broke my heart even more. A 16 year old boy thanked Ray Boltz..as he too recently told his family and friends he was gay.

I want to point out one particular paragraph from this article,

This is what it really comes down to,” he says. “If this is the way God made me, then this is the way I’m going to live. It’s not like God made me this way and he’ll send me to hell if I am who he created me to be … I really feel closer to God because I no longer hate myself.”

Yes God made us with a choice to do right or to do wrong, but he has also told us to resist temptation and the devil will FLEE FROM YOU.

Jas 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

If we use the above excuse to all of our sins.. I find it hard to swallow God would see things our way.

1Co 6:9 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,
1Co 6:10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
1Co 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
1Co 6:12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
1Co 6:13 Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.
1Co 6:14 And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power.
1Co 6:15 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.
1Co 6:16 What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.
1Co 6:17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
1Co 6:18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
1Co 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
1Co 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

Ray Boltz says he has fought this for all his life, and he can no longer hide this..he opened up to his family long ago..and to the public this month.



But for now..I want to switch the subject around. Honestly I was troubled about this news last night. As we all tend to put those in leadership and in the ministry on somewhat of a pedastal. And yet I have seen through this breaking story that we are watching many fall away. In the last several years we have watched many in the ministry give into the flesh and lead their lives, and yet many of us still go on to support them. Many will say these people show that you can be both.. like them and still a Christian.

The fact is.. being a Christian is being set apart.. one with Christ. When I reconciled my life with Christ, I made changes. Many things I changed did not come to conviction until I grew closer to the Lord and my walk with Christ strengthened. I found things that displeased God and hindered my testimony had to go as well. I found those friendships I treasured actually hindered even my own walk. I had to choose which to actually pull away from, and then I prayed for Godly friends that would hold me up in prayer..my desire is to daily grow into that image that God wants me to be..not the image I want to be.

I know there will be a great falling away before Christ returns for us..

2Th 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2Th 2:2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2Th 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
2Th 2:5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
2Th 2:6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
2Th 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
2Th 2:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
2Th 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Th 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2Th 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
2Th 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
2Th 2:14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2Th 2:15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
2Th 2:16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,
2Th 2:17 Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.

And yet..My heart aches for those I love that have not surrendered or even come to Christ yet.

And Yet, last night I learned something so very important. Watching people like Ray, making life changing decisions that are not of God really hurts. But, we need to walk by faith and not by sight.

2Co 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

Sin is sin.... and we are all capable of that very sin. God can not look on our sin and why he gave the very life and blood of his son, Jesus Christ to cover our sins. Yet..we need to turn away from that very temptation. Run from it and yet speak boldly against it. How many more will come out of the closet because Ray Boltz did?

How many more will find the very sin justified because Ray thinks this is "HOW GOD MADE HIM."

Fact is.. God speaks out against this sin many times in the Bible.

Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Rom 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Rom 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
Rom 1:23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
Rom 1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Rom 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.
Rom 1:26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
Rom 1:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
Rom 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Rom 1:29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Rom 1:30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Rom 1:31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
Rom 1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

Do not take the word of Ray Boltz over God. Be careful..
Sin does not discriminate.

Is Your Walk a Delusion?

Is Your Walk a Delusion?

Isa 66:1 Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?

Isa 66:2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

Isa 66:3 He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.

Isa 66:4 I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.

As I was looking at some of the possible reasons that many in the church are not surrendering wholly to God I came to this verse. My Pastor and I were speaking about several of these issues today after church. The conversation came after we had four people come forward and two for sure who had trusted Christ as their Lord and Savior. The thing is that this happened before service began. As I was in the room with one of the young men he was out there preaching with more liberty than he has had in awhile. We spoke about what had happened and how we do not see the body being affected. With the upcoming elections we see it as the potential for judgment upon America and yet many Christians have given into the affairs of the world which are apart from God. We discussed how they sit back and hear the word yet see it as meant for someone else. They are happy with the way things are and don’t want things to change. As I read through Matthew 24, I saw Christ telling what to look for concerning the end times and as I look around today I see it around me. I then turned to 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 and again the comparison is there as I turned to 2 Timothy chapter 3 and again it was there. I then turned to the book of Jude. The more I read the more I wondered how we cannot see things that are before us and then I turned to the book of Isaiah.

It is not the church building that God wants. It doesn’t matter how big it is or what kind of media equipment we have in it or what programs we have going on in the church because these things are nice but they don’t really do anything. It doesn’t matter how much we tithe to the church or how often we volunteer to work at the church or the position that we hold within the church while they are all nice they don’t really mean anything. Now look at verse 2 and see what means something to God. This is the reason we don’t see the power in the church today. It is why the messages do not accomplish anything to the existing congregation and it is why we can’t get them excited about the things of God today. The only way to accomplish revival today is to get people broken and contrite over their sin and their lack of service to Him. In Sunday school we discussed when things seemed to change and we all agreed that a lot of change happened in the 80’s but I am sure it started before then however God tells us here that He has been calling us and no one responded and as He continues to call and none respond He sends them delusions that continue to allow them to think that they are okay. Just listen to the things that they fear. They worry about jobs, about the economy, about their health, their families, their savings, and as the list goes on we can see that none of the things that they mention concern God or the lost. As we come to the end of verse 4 we see that they did the things that do not delight Him. It is not about us but about Him when it comes to our service and our worship.

In Exodus chapter 33 we have God telling the people to go on into the land flowing with milk and honey but He was not going to go with them. Moses replied that he would not go without God and set His tent out away from the people and the presence of the Lord followed Moses and stayed by his tent. Moses would rather stay in that dry desert with God than to go into the promise land without Him and the problem today is that we would rather go into the promise land without Him if it is going to give us a life of ease, a life of comfort and we count the cost as minimal. This is the condition that we currently have in the body of Christ. We go into our churches, sing the praises and worship Him but the problem is that His presence is not even there and what is worse is that it doesn’t even bother us because we are enjoying ourselves. Just what is the importance of chapter 33 of Exodus? It comes on the heels of God giving Moses the moral law. Moses had gone up into the mount to receive the tablets from God and while He was gone his return was delayed so the people built an idol to worship. When Moses came down off the mount the people were naked, dancing around and worshipping the idol.

Today we have gone off worshipping other gods. We claim to worship God yet it is not Him but an image of Him that we have created in our mind. As God called these people stiff-necked so we too are stiff-necked because we refuse to hear Him and refuse His power in our lives. As they denied Him in their release from Egypt, as they denied His continual presence in the cloud by day and fire by night so we deny His miracles over the years. We deny His presence and power in our ability to work, we deny Him His money that He gives us and we deny the sacrifice that was His Son the Lord Jesus Christ and the result is that He has turned us over to our delusions and removed His presence from us. Many times as I walk through our church I can feel sections where the presence of the Holy Spirit is powerful and in other sections are like walking into a brick wall.

Exo 33:1 And the LORD said unto Moses, Depart, and go up hence, thou and the people which thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt, unto the land which I swore unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, Unto thy seed will I give it:

Exo 33:2 And I will send an angel before thee; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite:

Exo 33:3 Unto a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of thee; for thou art a stiffnecked people: lest I consume thee in the way.

Exo 33:4 And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned: and no man did put on him his ornaments.

Exo 33:5 For the LORD had said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people: I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee.

Exo 33:6 And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments by the mount Horeb

.

Exo 33:7 And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation. And it came to pass, that every one which sought the LORD went out unto the tabernacle of the congregation, which was without the camp.

Exo 33:8 And it came to pass, when Moses went out unto the tabernacle, that all the people rose up, and stood every man at his tent door, and looked after Moses, until he was gone into the tabernacle.

Exo 33:9 And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the LORD talked with Moses.

Exo 33:10 And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the tabernacle door: and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man in his tent door.

Exo 33:11 And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.

Notice that when the presence of God departed from the people Moses went out from the people as well. He camped a long way off from them. These people saw the presence of God and still they would continually disobey Him and rebel against Him and we claim that if God would reveal Himself today that we would be better than they. I say we would be no different than they were. God reveals Himself daily and we refuse to acknowledge Him, we refuse to obey Him in even the smallest of things. Also notice that the presence of the Lord descended upon the tabernacle once Moses had entered in. The one thing that protects many of our churches is the presence of one godly man or women and generally when you find one there will always be another who is willing to stand with them, who will not be willing to leave the tabernacle. We see this in verse 11 in Joshua; even when Moses went back out into the people Joshua refused to leave the tabernacle. He was intent on remaining in the presence of the Lord because he felt as if there was no other place to be. If God was there he wanted to be there! He did not want to relinquish God’s presence to anyone or anything. Is it any wonder that later in life he would state “as for me and my house we will serve the Lord.” Every person who is willing to stay in the presence of the Lord needs a Joshua because they keep their focus where it needs to be and that is on the presence of God; for we have too many who are willing to leave His presence for the comforts of the world.

You see we are too much like Israel who turned to their idols because of the delay of Moses. Since it has been so long and Christ has not returned we have determined that He will not return anytime soon and therefore we are content to live in continual disobedience to Him. We do not concern ourselves with the lack of His presence and to be honest I don’t think many of you would notice the feeling of His presence in the first place because you have aligned yourself with the world so much. We whore ourselves out to the latest fashions the newest cars the larger salary, the bigger houses, the 401k, the huge retirement account and the people who can help us obtain these things and then sit back and claim to be blessed by God when all the while He is the furtherest thing from your heart and minds. We dance around naked in the streets, shaming ourselves and His name and then wonder why people think Christians are hypocrites. We claim to be loving and kind to others when very few of us would actually put our hands into our pockets and pull money out to hand to someone in need. We give to the church so we can justify not giving to others claiming we have tithed our 10% when it all belongs to Him anyways and then we holler about the fact that homelessness and poverty is at an all time high. We blame our governing officials just as the children of Israel blamed Moses for all their trials when it was their disobedience that caused their continual wanderings just as the condition of our country is the result of our own disobedience because as He has been calling us we have refused to hear Him because He might actually require us to sacrifice one of our creature comforts. We blame the school systems for our children’s behaviors when we are to blame because we are too busy to truly pay attention to them after all we have the right to have our own time. We lay the blame everywhere but where it truly needs to be which is on ourselves because we refuse to hear Him when He calls. Our failed marriage is not our fault it is because of society or the other person where our spouse was working; our pregnant teens are not our fault it is because they hand out condemns at school; our convicted child is not our fault it is because of rap music; our money troubles are not our fault it is because of who is in Washington; and the list goes on when in reality it is our fault because we refused to put ourselves under God’s authority first and foremost. Then we refused to treat our spouse as God commanded, we allowed our daughters boyfriend to spend the night and just what are we doing allowing them to date at 13 or 14 years old anyways. Our child is a felon because we were too busy making money to be home with them and because we deny authority in our lives how can we expect any difference in them. We have money problems because we are too busy buying things we really don’t need. We refuse God His portion. Our country is in the shape it is in because we refuse to stand up for the principles this country was founded on and have deemed it more important to please the flesh than to please God. Do you really want to see where the problem is start by looking in the mirror for one because until you surrender it is not going to change a thing. Until you seek to be in His presence continually it is only going to get worse and before you know it the trumpets will sound and it is entirely possible that you will be left behind. It is possible that tomorrow will be the last day for you and when you stand before Him He may say depart from me you worker of iniquity instead of enter into my rest my faithful servant..

Newly Ordained...

Recently I heard how easy it is to be ordained into the ministry. From here, you are more then able to start up your own Church, become tax exempt, order degrees (without going to school) and have all the perks of a minister. You can marry people, conduct funerals and even charge for your services.

So I asked a friend if he would indeed be willing t do this for me. He agreed. We set off to find a Christian site that openly talked about the Lord Jesus Christ. I did not want one that promoted that of the world..that would not be a challenge. Withen 24 hours my friend was ordained. They did not even bother to follow up and ask him when he accepted Christ, or any part of his testimony. They only asked for a brief testimony on the online application.

Here is a video my friend made to show you who he is, (after his ordaining)
ttp://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=41714372 (Please take the time to watch the video before proceding)
Newly Ordained


Yes.. the friend is.. my dog.

Now with this said, this is how easy it is for a false prophet to become a minister in this world. How sad is that?
This is why it is so important to get into a Bible believing Church. Not a "feel good" Church.