Shake and Bake

At the time of this missive, the angel is about to take us by the hand and lead us out of Sodom (San Francisco) before fire falls from heaven, or, it crumbles into the sea. I believe the wild fires and earthquakes are about to hit again soon as God unleashes His displeasure.

Yesterday, the executive and judicial branches of the California government overturned the will of the people and declared Proposition 8 null and void. Prop 8 ensured that marriage would be defined as the union of a man and a woman.

I wondered why I wasn't seeing more of the fruits and nuts out and about the City by the Bay, then I realized, they were all at city hall getting hitched.

Get this, I don't hate homosexuals! However, I do hate their sin. I would like to think that I love what God loves and hate what He hates. It is clear that Sodomy is vile and wicked and will be judged by a visitation of God's wrath.

Proverbs 14 has several pertinent and timely verses for the current situation.

Pro 14:2  He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the LORD: but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him.

Those who live in willful, known sin are despisers of God!

Pro 14:5  A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies.

There are way too any false prophets out there proclaiming that it is okay to be gay. A true man of God will speak the truth in love. Perversion of God's express will is sin and God will judge, not only the sin, but the false witnesses who accept and encourage what God despises.

Pro 14:9  Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favour.

How foolish it is to for the purveyors of the dominant culture to show Sesame Street's Bert and Ernie snuggling on the couch in front of a TV, displaying the SCOTUS, after their recent decisions legitimatizing Homosexual marriage. It is a mockery!

Pro 14:12  There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

It matters not what the majority think, no matter the direction of the culture, the way that seems popular, the direction that seems right, if it is against what God has plainly declared, it will end in death.

Pro 14:22  Do they not err that devise evil? but mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good.

It is an egregious error to devise methods to overrule God’s commands.

Pro 14:25  A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful witness speaketh lies.

False prophets!

Pro 14:34  Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.

Our nation, in its present state, is a reproach and cannot be blessed as she continues on her moral decline into hell.

May revival come to America! And remember, Judgment must first begin at the house of God. We must make sure we are on His side when the land begins to shake and bake.

The Word of the Lord - my daily pledge

I hold in my hands the inspired Word of the Lord.
 

I will read, reverence, respect, 

remember and review its instruction to me.
 

By it, I can live a holy, happy and honest life.
 

I will love it, learn from it and live by it.
 

It is God's love letter to me. 

It is His guide for my life 

and it is His consolation for me troubles.
 

Today, I open it that it may speak to my spirit, 

feed my soul and preserve my body.

I Can't Come to Church!

Jer 36:5  And Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, I am shut up; I cannot go into the house of the LORD:

Jeremiah was prevented from going to church. It wasn't that he was in prison, for he was not at this time. But something providentially hindered him from church. He could have been unclean in some fashion, or, the king commanded him not to be there. But believe me, he desired to be there and his heart was there.

We say, "See you at church, the good Lord willing and the Creek don't rise."

"Creek" by the way, refers to an Indian tribe, which, if they did rise (cause a stir), travelers were prevented from passing through their territory.

Thing is, the good Lord is willing that we get our sorry carcasses out of bed and get down to the house of the Lord for services. And I have another clue for you, there probably ain't no Creek gonna rise where you live!

So quit forsaking the assembly, making lame excuses, and get to church for prayer meeting, Sunday school and worship!

Boozing it up in the House of the Lord

Jer 35:4  And I brought them into the house of the LORD, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan, the son of Igdaliah, a man of God, which was by the chamber of the princes, which was above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, the keeper of the door: 5  And I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites pots full of wine, and cups, and I said unto them, Drink ye wine. 6  But they said, We will drink no wine: for Jonadab the son of Rechab our father commanded us, saying, Ye shall drink no wine, neither ye, nor your sons for ever:

Jer 35:18  And Jeremiah said unto the house of the Rechabites, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Because ye have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts, and done according unto all that he hath commanded you: 19  Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me for ever.

Here is a fascinating and intriguing account of a group of people who held fast to their convictions in the midst of a very wicked and rebellious nation. Whilst others would go into captivity for their unfaithfulness to God, these would be blest of God for doing right.

The Prophet Jeremiah was used of the Lord to test the resolve of these Rechabites by inviting them into a chamber of the temple and offering them wine, but they politely refused and God blessed.

It makes me wonder about all the things we face, the decisions and the snap judgments we must make. How often are these testings to prove that we are a principled people with godly hearts, worthy of God's richest blessings.

Today, I went, for the FOURTH TIME in as many days, to the customer service desk at a Walmart over 10 miles from my house to try to rectify a situation and transact business. This store is so far away, I call it the Nebraska City Walmart. I must admit, I would rather have bamboo shoots shoved up my fingernails than face that customer service rep once again. Additionally, I thought I would pop back to the sporting goods area to snag a box of ammo, which is like trying to find a jelly donut and a Jenny Craig convention.

I was able to sport a genuine smile and a reasonable greeting to the one who is paid to do the same for me, the customer, but is sure not earning her keep in that respect. I was finally able to leave her company with a heartfelt "God bless you!" and then back to the gun section for my next stage of Wally World abuse.

Again, after being treated like a convict at Reiker's Island, I was able to overcome the boiling pot of rage on the inside, and offer a bit of kindness to the guy we had to hunt down (ironically, from the sporting goods section). I will call this employee, Clerk Can't, but he was no Superman!

Of course, the ammo I needed and have checked on for the past several days was still unavailable. But another man saw that kindness in me that only Jesus can give to an abused Walmart patron. So he asked me to purchase a box of .357s for him since he was only allowed one and he lived so far away. This all ended up in a very friendly conversation with him all the way out to the parking lot.

So alas, no wine was consumed in the chamber of the temple that Sam built and God blessed with a pleasurable experience.

I only hope I can refuse the devil's wine (whine) throughout the day!

Grace in the Wilderness

Jer 31:1  At the same time, saith the LORD, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people. 2  Thus saith the LORD, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest. 3  The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. 4  Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry.

Grace: God's unmerited favor. Israel's backsliding brought the frown of God and miserable punishment. Yet, He did not cast His people off, He just sent them to a place where they would see the error of their ways, repent, turn to Him and prosper once again.

Look at the heart of God as He desires for them:

1. Relationship (1)

2. Rest (2)

3. Restraint (3)

4. Rebuilding (4)

5. Rejoicing (4)

Child of God, you are His and though your relationship may be strained because of your prodigal heart, it is never severed. His love will not let you fall from grace, even in the wilderness of your wandering.

He desires that you find in Him a vital relationship, rest for your weary soul, loving restraint, a rebuilt life and happy rejoicing.

Simply repent of your sin and turn back to Him with your whole heart. He is waiting for you even now. Do we deserve such grace? Of course not, that’s why it is called grace.