Christmas

 

In Matthew 2, an event is reported in regard to the birth of Jesus. Very special men come from the East, because they had seen an unusual sign in the heavens. They noticed a star that had not been observed before. They believed that this star designates the birth of a very special king. 
These men are very unusual. Being noted that they are from the East, it is very likely that they are Gentiles. The notation that they are "wise men" or magoi, means that they could fit into any or all of the following descriptions: teachers, priests, physicians, astrologers (astronomers), scientists, seers, interpreters of dreams. The implication is that they are spiritually gifted in a certain manner. These men come from "the East". This means in the natural, Chaldea, Media, Persia, etc. The root meaning of the word "East" used here means "a rising (of the sun, moon and stars), direction of the sun's rising, to cause to arise as of the earth to bring forth plants". The root can also mean "into the midst of the end". So these men were very mysterious, and their appearance should draw our attention. These men were important enough for King Herod to invite them before him, even though for his own purposes.
As the wise men discover that the scriptures prophesy that the Messiah, the king, whom they seek, would be born in Bethlehem, they head in that direction. They immediately notice the star moving before them and guiding them in a specific direction. They are amazed as the star rests over the place where the Christ child was. They were rejoicing with great joy, the scripture says, having been supernaturally guided to whom they so desired to find.
As the wise men entered the house marked by the star, they found Mary and her son. These men of honor and reputation, these men of science and spiritual gifting, bowed down in worship before the child. They had found the King. They worshiped Him with their bodies, and they worshiped Him with their substance. They had not come looking for this King empty-handed, but came prepared to give Him gifts. They broke open their treasuries to bring forth these gifts. The gifts were gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Gold symbolizes God's might and power in creating, preserving His creation, judging His creation, and controlling the destinies of men.
Frankincense is a white resin burned as incense. It comes from a tree. The white ash that remains after burning symbolizes something that has been purified by fire.
Myrrh is a costly perfume made from a bitter gum gathered from incisions made into the bark of a tree. It is an antiseptic, and was often used in treating the dead body before burial. The root meaning of the word "myrrh" is to be spread or stretched out, to break in pieces.
There is a prophecy in Isa. 60:6 that could very well apply to this special visit of the Magoi:
"The multitude of camels shall cover your land,
The dromedaries of Midian and Ephah;
All those from Sheba shall come;
They shall bring gold and incense."

What do the gifts of the Magoi teach us about our own worship of the King of Kings this Christmas and always? The gifts that the wise men brought reflected the nature of the child they came to see. The gifts honored His position in the God-head, the purification of men by the blood of Christ, and His being an antiseptic against the condition of death, the corruption of the body of man.
As we worship and honor the birth of Christ, we break open our treasuries and bring forth gifts that are reflective of Christ's purpose in the earth, in us. Let us seek Him diligently, as the wise men did, and having found Him, let us show Him honor and glory with gifts worthy of His title of King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. And with these gifts let us proclaim:
"How beautiful upon the mountains
Are the feet of him who brings good news,
Who proclaims peace,
Who brings glad tidings of good things,
Who proclaims salvation,
Who says to Zion,
Your God reigns!"                               Isa. 52:7 

To the heavens and the earth we proclaim this good news. To every person we proclaim this good news.

Our God reigns.


"We Three Kings of Orient Are"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8mjRxkMBkE

"What Can I bring"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzPBZzKEPog 

Genuine

 

Genuine or counterfeit? That is a question we have to ask many times today as we buy and sell. The market is flooded with questionable goods. The government uses every measure possible to try to ensure that our currency is not easily counterfeited, yet counterfeiters try every day to introduce fake money into the economy.
The currency that we use is no longer "authentic" in value. Our coins used to be silver, gold and copper. Now there is very little of the genuine metals in our coins. Our paper dollars used to be supported by a corresponding value in gold, but that is no longer the case. The money we use today in America has almost no value of itself whatsoever. The coins have been mixed with other cheaper metals until they are worthless.
What does this have to do with our faith?
The Apostle Paul tells us to examine ourselves before we partake of communion in 1 Cor. 11:28-29:
"But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner, eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body." 

There are two words that I have underlined in the above verse. One of the words is "examine". The meaning of this word deals with currency, and coins. In Paul's era, coins used to be struck, or pressed, out of precious and semi-precious metals. After the striking, the coins would have rough edges of excess that would be filed off. The coin would bear the image of the king to attest to its authenticity. Those coins would have to weigh an exact amount. If they did not weigh the true amount, it meant that the coin had been mixed with another metal, and not genuine. Moneychangers would sometimes cheat people by filing even more off the coin and keeping the filings, so that you were not getting the true value of the coin. Jesus overturned the tables of moneychangers in the Temple saying that they had made God's house of prayer into a den of thieves, so widespread was the cheating on currency (Mt. 21:13).
The word "examine" is used again in 2 Cor 13:5:
Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? - except ye be reprobates (not standing the test used used to examine metals and coins)"
So using this imagery, Paul is instructing us to examine whether our faith is genuine. Have we mixed the gold and silver of our faith with the more base metals of this world? Have we "filed off" value from our faith, not giving our Father the service, trust, love, honor, and glory that He deserves from our lives?
The word "unworthy" in 1 Cor 11:29, means "unfit for a thing,  not worth as much, not having the weight of another thing of like value". Again, the imagery used is of the weight of a coin, showing its authenticity. The Jesus Christ in us is purified gold. Do our lives show this gold, or a more base metal, a lesser metal, a mixed metal?
1 Cor 11 tells us that there is a serious cost for not recognizing and showing an authentic, genuine faith of purified gold of the Christ in us. When we have chosen not to be "genuine" in the faith, when we have allowed the unauthentic to be mixed into the purity of Christ, it causes sickness and even death. We have mixed Jesus with other things, and the coin of our faith is lacking. It doesn't test out to be authentic. It doesn't weigh out enough in worth on the scales, when compared to the genuine. When we have examined ourselves, on the other hand, and determined that we wish to walk in the authentic and pure faith of the Son of God, it brings glory and honor to the Father and to us:
"...you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ."                      1 Peter 1:6-7
Trials come to each of us, as we are purified and strengthened in our faith. When we truly examine ourselves for the genuine, the false has no opportunity:
"But He knows the way that I take;
When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.
My foot has held fast to His steps;
I have kept His way and not turned aside.
I have not departed from the commandment of His lips;
I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food."
                                                                          Job 23:10-12 
"Examine me, O LORD, and prove me;
Try my mind and my heart."                           Psalm 26:2

Our Father tests, or assays, our faith to purify it, to strengthen it, to discover what it is, or is not, genuine. If we do not examine ourselves, He will continue to test it.
"For You, O God, have tested us; You have refined us as silver is refined."         Psalm 66:10

"Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts:
Behold, I will refine them and test them;
For how shall I deal with the daughter of My people?
Their tongue is an arrow shot out;
It speaks deceit;
One speaks peaceably to his neighbor with his mouth,
but in his heart he lies in wait."                         Jer. 9:7-8 

"I will bring the one-third through the fire, 
Will refine them as silver is refined,
And test them as gold is tested.
They will call on My name,
And I will answer them.
I will say, "This is My people";
And each one will say, "The LORD is my God."            Zech. 13:9 

When we partake of the communion elements, being obedient to examine ourselves, we remember Christ's death in the earth until He returns. As we examine ourselves, we partake of His death: death to self, death to sin, death to idolatry in all of its forms, death to worldly ideas and doctrines. In order to discern The Body, we start first by discerning ourselves, our soul, our spirit. And the end result of this?
"Beloved, now we are the sons of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure."   1 Jn.  3:2-3
 
Genuine or counterfeit? Let a man examine himself.

Our Father is genuine.

"Communion"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5x6khRQFlOc

"I Shall Come Forth as Gold"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOmdL81jHeI

Magnified

There are many places in scripture that speaks about our LORD being "magnified". Below are some examples:

"I will praise the name of God with a song,
and will magnify Him with thanksgiving."
                                    Psalm 69:30

"Let all those who seek You
rejoice and be glad in You;
Let such as love Your salvation say continually,
"The LORD be magnified!"
                                    Psalm 40:16

"Oh, magnify the LORD with me,
And let us exalt His name together."
                                     Psalm 34:3

"And Mary said:
My soul magnifies the Lord,
And my spirit has rejoiced in God, my Savior."
                                      Luke 1:46-47

Now the Hebrew word for "magnify" is the word gadal. This word means to grow, become great or important, make powerful. Considering the fact that God is already all-powerful, already the greatest God, already so large that He is omnipresent, and fills everything, how can we do anything that would make Him larger or greater? 
The interesting thing about that word gadal, is that there is an imagery connected with it. The imagery is of threads or cords being twisted or twined together. It would also be the same imagery as two wrestlers so physically intertwined as they wrestle that they appear as one entity. 
So when we rejoice in our Father, when we exalt Him, praise Him, and lift our thanksgiving to Him, when we magnify Him, we become, as it were, physically and spiritually intertwined with Him, making His Person even larger, greater, and more powerful than it already is. As thousands of cords wrapped together are larger than one cord, so the people of God, joined with Him, enlarge Him!
The LORD is not the only One magnified, or enlarged. He also says in His word that He magnifies us:
"And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee."
                                                   Josh. 3:7
"What is man, that Thou shouldest magnify him? and that Thou shouldest set Thine heart upon him?"                                          Job 7:17
"And the LORD magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed upon him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him...And Solomon the son of David was strengthened in his kingdom, and the LORD his God was with him, and magnified him exceedingly."
                                                     1 Chron. 29:25, 2 Chron. 1:1

To intimately entwine ourselves with our Father through praise, and thanksgiving, through rejoicing and song, not only enlarges Him, but also ourselves before our spiritual enemies, and before man.
The entwining of ourselves with our Father is required of our walk. Jesus commanded us to be entwined with Him:
"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine; neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me, you can do nothing."
                                                      John 15:4-5
"Abide" above, means to be held, kept continually, to remain as one, not to become another or different. We are entwined with Him, as we abide in Him. As we are entwined with Jesus, we are also entwined with our Father:
Jesus prayed to His Father for all who would believe in Him, "that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me...I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me."
                                                       John 17:21, 23 
Our spiritual perfecting can only come as we are entwined with Jesus, and in turn, entwined with the Father. This relationship testifies to the world that Jesus was sent from God. There is no other way for man to be entwined so intimately in our Father that we become one with him.
The result of this entwining impacts our lives tremendously.  In Romans 8, Paul talks about the results of a life entwined with Christ's and the Father's.
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?"  And, "We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."
"If God be for us, who can be against us?"
                                                        Romans 8:35, 28, 31 

As the Father is magnified by our praise, thanksgiving, rejoicing, and we are entwined with His Being, He is enlarged, and we cannot be separated from Him. If we are entwined with Him, what can man or devil do to us? He even shares His glory with us, as we are joined with Him in magnification (Jn. 17:22, Rom. 8:30). 
Hallelujah! Be magnified Father! My soul and my spirit magnifies You.


Our Father is magnified.


"I Came to Magnify the LORD"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DbpMCd8-_4

"Magnificat"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6F33Y7OgXzM 

"10,000 Reasons"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXDGE_lRI0E 
                                                    

Thanksgiving

 

This Thanksgiving season of 2013 is a very unusual one.  For the first time since 1888, Thanksgiving and Hanukkah will begin at the same time (Hanukkah beginning on the night before at sundown). It is calculated that this exact convergence will not happen again for over 70,000 years. So this special timing should capture our attention.
Hanukkah comes from the Hebrew word "to dedicate" and refers to a miraculous historical event that occurred in 165 BC. A generation before this date, Antiochus lll the Great, the Syrian King, was victorious in battle over the Egyptians and won the Judean territory from Egyptian control, and incorporated it into the Seleucid Empire. At the time, the king guaranteed the Jews the right to keep their ancestral customs, and practice their religion in the Temple in Jerusalem without interference.
However, when this king died, his son, Antiochus lV Epiphanes, did not keep that commitment. He outlawed Judaism, looted the Temple in Jerusalem, banned circumcision, erected an altar to Zeus in the Temple of God, and ordered the sacrifice of pigs on this pagan altar, which would have been a normal practice in that ancient Greek idolatry. These actions caused a rebellion among the Jews, led by a priest's family. The leader of the rebellion was Judah "the Hammer", or HaMakabi. From this we call the rebellion leaders "The Maccabees". The details of their victory over the Seleucid Empire is recorded in 1st and 2nd Maccabees in the Apocrypha, and by the historian, Flavius Josephus.
After their victory, as the Jews cleansed the profaned Temple, and rededicated it to the worship of God, they found only one sealed container of holy oil used to keep the Menorah, or Lamp, in the Temple lit. This amount of oil would only keep the Lamp lit for one day, and the Law of Moses said that the Lamp must stay lighted night and day, continually. A miracle occurred and the Lamp stayed lighted from this small amount of oil for eight days, until a new supply of special holy oil could be made. This miracle and rededication of the Temple of God is commemorated by Hanukkah.
Imagine the thanksgiving to God in Judea over this event. God had confirmed and blessed the victory, and His presence in the Temple among His people, by keeping that Lamp lighted miraculously.
Jesus also observed Hanukkah, as noted in John 10:22-23. It is called in scripture "the Feast of Dedication". At this time, Jesus was in the Temple and the Jews questioned Him again, and said to Him,"If You are the Christ, tell us plainly." Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe...My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. I and My Father are one."    Jn. 10:24-30
Jesus made a powerful declaration, and "dedication" that day at the Feast. He declared that His sheep will never perish, and can never be snatched from His and His Father's hands. Like that lighted Menorah in the Temple, the Light of Christ and in His sheep will never be extinguished! The Father will keep that light burning with all of His power, because He is "greater than all".
What a powerful thing to celebrate, and for which to give thanksgiving.  It is perfect that Hanukkah and Thanksgiving coincide this year, and, in our hearts, every year.
Our nation is one of the few in earth that have instituted the concept of Thanksgiving to God as a law of this land. Though it may be to many just a day to eat and celebrate with family, to the people of God, it should continue to be a time of true thanksgiving to our Father, to our Creator, who supplies us with all things for our physical and spiritual lives, to the One who keeps our lamps lighted in everlasting life.
At least three of our Presidents have given specific commands to the nation to recognize and honor God with thanksgiving (you can read these proclamations below). It also happens that these proclamations came at turning points in the history of this country. Again, our nation seems to be at a turning point.
The first proclamation, under the presidency of George Washington, came at a time when this country was new and trying to unite and govern itself for the first time. How important it was for us to begin that journey in thanksgiving to God.
Another proclamation was given by Abraham Lincoln. It came as the nation was engaged in a terrible civil war that would effect our history for generations after the war would end. Rebuilding, and reunification would require the help of God. The President asked the nation to offer up a sacrifice of thanksgiving to Him.
The third proclamation was by Franklin Roosevelt. It came as WWll was ending. The history of the world would be changed by that war forever. Old empires crumbled, and the United States would become the premier world power. Europe was in a shambles, and would require rebuilding for years, and at great expense. It was obvious that even as that war ended, the world would have to now deal with the rise of aggressive communism, both in Europe, and in Asia also, with the coming end of the Japanese empire. The President of the United States again called the nation to prayer and thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving is an elemental principle in scripture. Sometimes thanksgiving to God comes with a great victory and with joy. Sometimes it comes as a sacrifice in times of trouble. It is a powerful spiritual weapon of warfare, and is a beacon for a mighty move of deliverance from God.
The prophet Jonah, in a powerful prayer, offered the sacrifice of thanksgiving to God as he was being enfolded in the dark terror and power of the waters of death. After that sacrifice of thanksgiving, God delivered Jonah miraculously from what seemed a hopeless situation 
(Jonah 2).
Thanksgiving transforms our situation from darkness into light.
At this time of Hanukkah and Thanksgiving, and every day in our lives, let us lift up a declaration of thanksgiving to our Father, whether we are in joy, or in despair, whether we have plenty or lack. Let us "rededicate" ourselves as His temples, cleansed and purified from the profane of this world, set apart for His purpose, filled with the unending holy oil of the Spirit of God, as lamps lighted and standing in the Holy Place being the "light of the world", as Jesus is, and has commanded us to be.
"O give thanks unto the LORD, for He is good;
For His mercy endureth for ever."
                                                              Psalms 107:1; 118:1, 29; 136:1  
 

Our Father is Thanksgiving.

"I Just Want to Thank You, LORD"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sb1Op5Wo8k0


Three Presidents' Thanksgiving Proclamations:

A. Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863:

The year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added which are of so extraordinary a nature that they can not fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever-watchful providence of Almighty God.
In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign states to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere, except in the theater of military conflict, while that theater has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union.
Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defense have not arrested the plow, the shuttle, or the ship; the ax has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well as the iron and coal as of our precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege, and the battlefield, and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.
No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.
It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners, or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the imposition of the Almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with the divine purpose, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity, and union.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.
Done at the city of Washington, this 3d day of October, A.D. 1863, and of the Independence of the United States the eighty-eighth.

  Abraham Lincoln
By the President:
William H. Seward
Secretary of State.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Issued by President George Washington, at the request of Congress, on October 3, 1789

By the President of the United States of America, a Proclamation.
Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and—Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me “to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:”
Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favor, able interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted; for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.
And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations, and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally, to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.
Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.

Go. Washington

A Proclamation by Franklin D. Roosevelt It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord." Across the uncertain ways of space and time our hearts echo those words, for the days are with us again when, at the gathering of the harvest, we solemnly express our dependence upon Almighty God. The final months of this year, now almost spent, find our Republic and the Nations joined with it waging a battle on many fronts for the preservation of liberty. In giving thanks for the greatest harvest in the history of our Nation, we who plant and reap can well resolve that in the year to come we will do all in our power to pass that milestone; for by our labors in the fields we can share some part of the sacrifice with our brothers and sons who wear the uniform of the United States. It is fitting that we recall now the reverent words of George Washington, "Almighty God, we make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt keep the United States in Thy holy Protection," and that every American in his own way lift his voice to heaven. I recommend that all of us bear in mind this great Psalm:"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. "He restoreth my soul; he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. "Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever." Inspired with faith and courage by these words, let us turn again to the work that confronts us in this time of national emergency: in the armed services and the merchant marine; in factories and offices; on farms and in the mines; on highways, railways, and airways; in other places of public service to the Nation; and in our homes. Now, Therefore, I, Franklin D. Roosevelt, President of the United States of America, do hereby invite the attention of the people to the joint resolution of Congress approved December 26, 1941, which designates the fourth Thursday in November of each year as Thanksgiving Day; and I request that both Thanksgiving Day, November 26, 1942, and New Year's Day, January 1, 1943, be observed in prayer, publicly and privately. FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT

Works

Many who practice faith understand that their walk should include works. What does it mean to do "works"? Does it mean to feed the hungry and clothe the poor? These things should certainly flow out of our character and compassion. But Jesus was speaking about specific works that He was doing. These works were directly given Him to do by His Father in heaven.

"But I have a greater witness than John's; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish- the very works that I do- bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me."
                                                                  John 5:36

"Jesus answered and said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son does in like manner."
                                                                  John 5:19

Jesus makes it clear that all that He does, are the same as the Father does. There are no works of His own, no deeds that He decides to do because it seems the correct thing to do. He only does the works that He sees His Father doing. It has very little to do with doing "good deeds". All the works are designed and purposed to set men free from bondages of different types, whether sickness, sin, demon attacks.
Jesus even says that these works that He does, identify Him as having been sent from the Father, because they are the Father's works.
One example that shows the uniqueness of these works is found in John chapters 8 and 9.
Jesus has been trying to teach a crowd about who He is. They are a crowd who has worshipped God all of their lives. They have read the scriptures, and studied them. They have believed and accepted the interactions that God has had with their nation and their fathers. They believe themselves to be people of God, a covenant people. Jesus shockingly informs them that they are not a people of God. He says that they do not know God:

"He who is of God hears God's words, therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God."                                                      John 8:47

Imagine how shocked these people are to hear Jesus claim that they do not know God, and do not belong to Him. How was Jesus so sure that these people were no of God? Because they did not know Him, Jesus.

"...If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me."          John 8:42

After Jesus made these pronouncements, the people took up stones to stone Him to death. They hated His words, and denied their truth. He supernaturally walked right through the midst of them unharmed.   
Shortly after passing through them, Jesus came upon a man who had been blind since birth. He fashioned clay from the ground, mixed with His saliva, and placed the mixture on the eyes of the blind man. He instructed the blind man to rinse his eyes in the pool of Siloam. "Siloam" means to send, in Hebrew. The root meaning of the word is to let go, to set free, to let loose.
Upon washing in this pool, the blind man could now see.
Jesus said of His actions:
I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work."                                                                 John 9:4

So let us think about this occasion that Jesus used to do the work of His Father.
First, it was a work done immediately after a crowd tried to stone Jesus to death. Any other person might have sought to avoid people after that, at least he would have felt some resentment afterwards. But Jesus immediately saw that the Father had a work for Him to do in the blind man, and Jesus was obedient to do it. This is what the Father sent Him to do. It didn't matter what the circumstances might be, nor what Jesus' thoughts and emotions might be after dealing with the hostile crowd.
Secondly, the work the Father had for Jesus to do at this moment was a work of deliverance, according to the meaning of the word "Siloam". It was the Father's desire to liberate this man from blindness.

Not only did Jesus determine to do the works that His Father gave Him to do, but He expected all those who believe in Him to do so also:
"Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father."
                                                                   John 14:10-12

Not only are we also to do these works of the Father, but even greater works than Jesus did.


The crowd we read about earlier claimed that Abraham was their father. Jesus disagreed. He told them, 
"If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham."      John 8:39

What works of Abraham was Jesus talking about?  We know Abraham acted out of belief or faith in the Father. He was obedient to do what God told him to do. But there is also a specific act that Abraham was involved in that, I think, Jesus was teaching about.
James 2:21-22 says:
"Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?"
Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?"
The works that Abraham did by faith was a specific kind of works. It was a works that the Father in heaven was doing. Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son of covenant. The Father's plan and will was to sacrifice His only begotten Son also. The Father's works are sacrificial. He is willing to pay with His blood for the liberation of men. The sacrifice can only be done out of the faith of knowing that God has purposed it. God has said it. God, Himself, is doing it.
As we consider these greater works of the Father that Jesus said we would do, we need to understand the depth of the sacrificial heart of the Father that lies at the center of each work. It is not about doing good deeds. It is not about religious activities and charitable works. It is about the supernatural works of deliverance that can only pour out of us through a sacrificial heart like the Father's and the Son's. We cannot separate the works, from the Father who sent us.

Our Father is works.

"I Give Myself Away"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ha3JbND1Sqg

New!

 

Some may believe that because our Father is very ancient, in fact from eternity, that His words and ways are of the past, and not relevant to life today. One of His names, in fact, is "Ancient of Days":

"I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire."                                                                   Daniel 7:9  Regardless of the fact that He is indeed ancient, our Father is all about doing new things. "Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I declare; Before they spring forth I tell you of them."                                                                  and "Do not remember the former things,  Nor consider the things of old, Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert."                                                                Isa. 42:9, 43:18-19  Though scripture says that the LORD does not change in either His Word, His promises, nor His covenants,  part of His character has also always been to do new things. So in this, He also doesn't change. His "new things", however, never contradict His Word. But His Word declares that the Father's whole purpose and will is to bring new things. He even renews the virtues of His own character towards us: "Through the LORD's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness."                                                           Lamentations 3:22-23 For our benefit, our Father renews His mercies towards us every morning. We don't even have to rely on the old mercy He has shown to us before. The mercy is brand new that He extends to us.  He also sent His only Son to bring about the new things of His will: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new."                                                               2 Cor. 5:17 "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; ...there shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new."....                                                                Rev. 21:4-5 Why is it so important that we know about the newness of our Father? That same newness of Spirit is expected of us. We are not expected to remain the same as we are today. Each day, each hour, we are to strive into the newness that our Father has for us in that moment. As we move forward spiritually, the old things of this world, and the old things of our nature, pass away farther and farther from us. As we reach for the "new things", all creation is renewed along with us. We are expected to change as each day's newness of revelation is brought to us: But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord."                                                                2 Cor 3:18 The word "transformed" used in the above verse is the Greek word metamorphoo, or metamorphosis in English. It means to transform, to transfigure, to change into another form. As the Holy Spirit brings the glory of the Lord to us each day, it is expected to change us. We are supposed to become something new by degrees, and that something new eventually makes us to conform into the image of Jesus Christ. We all know people, including believers, that have not changed noticeably in years. Some churches  are the same today as they were tens, even hundreds of years ago. Sometimes people and institutions refuse the new things the LORD is doing. The new things the LORD brings us do not compromise, nor violate His Word in any way, but they sometimes do demand that we put away old traditions, and old ways, old understandings, and old natures. If we do not move forward with the Cloud of His glory, with the Pillar of His fire, we will become part of the "old things" that are meant to pass away. We will not be moving into the "new things" that our Father has for us every morning. This is not God's will for us. This is not why He sent His Son to die in our place. The newness of our Father not only causes us to move forward, but it also causes us to move upward: "Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended (to have obtained, to have attained, to have laid hold of); but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."                                                                   Phil. 3:13-14 In the above verse, the Apostle Paul tells the Church that although he has not reached all that the Lord has for him, his desire is to leave behind the things of the past, and make an effort of will to attain the new things of the Spirit that will pull him forward, and upward, which is the nature of the call that God has spoken over each one of us. It was not just something for an apostle. Paul tells us that this same mind must be in each one of us. Our walk is a walk of "degrees", and we are expected, commanded, to desire and strive for the next degree in newness in Christ (Phil 3:15-16).  Let us look each morning, each hour, for the new things our Father desires to show us, and form in us. Our Father is New. "A New Creation" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vo-JovuTXyM  "The Steadfast Love of the LORD" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJ1L2DFZVzQ "Press toward the Mark" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kKSzAUqZA4

 

Family

We live in an age where the family is under attack as never before.
Abortion, abandonment, estrangement, suicide, divorce, single parenthood, no parents, too many parents, abusive parents, neglectful parents, troubled children, runaway children, addicted parents and children, the list of problems within the modern family can go on and on.
Almost all of us can site problems within our families, some minor, some tragic.
It is undeniably true that if the families of a society are destroyed, that society will eventually crumble also:

"If the foundations are destroyed,
What can the righteous do?"
                          Psalm 11:3

"Some remove landmarks;
They seize flocks violently and feed on them."
                           Job 24:2

Job 24, teaches about things that hide in the darkness to steal, to rob, to destroy. The landmarks in the verse above, refer to protected territory. Throughout the chapter of Job, the thief moves the landmark in order to go into an area and steal. The enemy contrives and schemes to assault that territory. To steal from the fatherless, and the widow. Children are snatched and held for ransom.
The family is similarly like a fenced off, landmarked territory.The enemy assaults the family continually. We are vulnerable to these attacks because we do not understand the strategy of the enemy, or if we do understand, we do not know how to stand against it.
Even as the natural families come under increasing attack, how much more have we seen spiritual families and households attacked by the same evil? Countless churches suffer turmoil, strife, and are torn apart by these same things. Our brothers and sisters in church are our spiritual family. Our pastors are our spiritual fathers and mothers. We need to have a better understanding of the forces at work.
King David was a great king in Israel. God prophesied to David that the Messiah would come from David's family. But David's family was attacked continually. One son abused his step-sister. Another son avenged that act by killing that brother. Wives competed against each other in order that their children would be favored. One of David's sons treacherously plotted against David, and David was exiled from his kingdom for a time. That son was also eventually murdered. We can guess that David's family was so ruthlessly attacked by evil spiritual forces because of that Messianic prophetic word that had been spoken about David's coming descendant.

But today's families are attacked just as fiercely.
There is an interesting scripture in Ephesians:
"For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named."
                                 Eph. 3:14-15 
In the original Aramaic language, this same scripture reads as the following:
For this cause I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
for whom all fatherhood in heaven and in earth is named."

Families are named after our Father in heaven. No wonder they become a target of the wrath of the enemy of God, Satan! As Satan attacks the family, he is attacking the very Name of God.
Our Father has always taken an interest in whole families in scripture. He has appointed Himself as caretaker of those who have lost family, like widows, and children:
"A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows,
Is God in His holy habitation.
God sets the solitary in families;"
                                                 Psalm 68:5-6a
"The LORD watches over strangers;
He relieves the fatherless and widow;
But the way of the wicked He turns upside down."
                                                 Psalm 146:9
"For you will forget the shame of your youth,
And will not remember the reproach of your widowhood anymore.
For You Maker is your husband,
The LORD of Hosts is His name;"
                                                  Isa. 54:4b-5a
"Cursed is the one who perverts justice due the stranger, the fatherless, and widow.
And all the people shall say "Amen!"
                                                  Deut. 27:19

Psalm 68 above, tells us that God even desires to set those who are alone into a family. How important the family, and each individual in it is to God.
In the Old Testament, the LORD intervened miraculously to provide for widows and the fatherless. By His prophet, He multiplied oil in a household in order to sustain the family against ruin. He raised the dead child of another woman, who had blessed His prophet.
In the New Testament, Jesus interceded in family tragedies, and made them triumphs. In one case, as Jesus came to the gate of the city of Nain, a widow was about to bury her only son. In losing her only son, she would also have no one to care for her. The scriptures continue the story:
"When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, "Do not weep."
Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried (him) stood still. And He said, "Young man I say to you, arise."
So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother."
                                                 Luke 7:13-14
Jesus felt compassion for the poor widow who had lost her only son, and gave her son back to her.
Jesus held the same compassion for His own mother, even as He hung on the cross:
When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold your son!"
Then He said to the disciple, "Behold your mother!" And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home."
                                                 John 19:26-27 
Even while in the torture of His crucifixion,Jesus made sure His own mother would be looked after, and included in a believing family.

As the Holy Spirit began to fall on believers in the Book of Acts, scripture tells of a man named Cornelius, a Gentile, who sent for the Apostle Peter to come to his household, based upon a vision Cornelius had received from God (Acts 9). When Peter came to his home, he found that Cornelius had assembled his whole family, and many friends to hear what Peter would tell them. Peter began to tell them about Jesus, and as he was speaking, the Holy Spirit fell on all in the house. Cornelius' whole household was converted that day.
In another part of Acts, Paul and Silas was invited to their prison keeper's home, after the prison keeper had witnessed a great act of mercy. Paul and Silas said to the keeper of the prison:
 "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household. Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house."
                                                    Acts 16:31-32
The Lord desires to save whole families, just as much as He desires to save an individual.

As the End Times approach, the Father in heaven promises to send a special prophet, a returning Elijah, to bring reconciliation between fathers and children, even as He desires us, His children, to be reconciled to Him. It is the last prophetic promise from the last verses in the Old Testament, found in Malachi 4:5-6.
Families are very precious in the eyes of God. Families are named after Him.

Our Father is family. 

"I Believe"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQBDtKC-cQ0 

Righteousness

 

As I write about this topic, I must say that it is not with a clear understanding. I know that there are many more people out there who would know more about it than myself. There are clergy and those who have studied the Word for years, and prayed  and walked in the wisdom of God, who could be clearer in thought on this subject. But more and more, I have a feeling in my gut that I have to try and puzzle out. Perhaps a year from now, or two, or three, or more, I will have a different understanding of this issue. The issue I am struggling with is the issue of righteousness. We believe we know what this word means. In Hebrew, the word righteous or righteousness means "to do or bring justice, to have a just cause, to be just, lawful, correct". I find this definition different from the one I had in my own mind. I had viewed righteousness as being in a condition without sin. I think this is the view of most people. But considering the Hebrew meaning, righteousness pertains to actions or works that reveal justice.  A form of behavior that reflects "rightness".
There is an interesting story of justice in John 8. The religious people of the society bring a woman before Jesus. She has been caught in the very act of adultery. The Law of Moses says that such a person should be put to death (Lev. 20:10). The act of adultery is certainly forbidden by the Ten Commandments (Ex. 20:14). The crowd of religious leaders asks Jesus "But what do You say?". They were testing Him, and looking for a reason to accuse Him of breaking the commandments. But Jesus didn't answer them. In fact, never did He answer them directly in any way. He stooped down to the ground, and began to write in the dirt with His finger, as if He hadn't heard their question. They asked Him again. Jesus stood and said "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first." (John 8:7). Then He stooped down and began writing on the ground again. Everyone began, one by one, to walk away, convicted by their consciences. Only the adulterous woman was left standing there.  Jesus asked the woman if there were any accusers left. She answered Him, "No one, Lord." Jesus answered her. "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more." (Jn. 8:11).
We don't know what Jesus was writing in the dirt that day. There is speculation that He was writing in the dirt all of the sins or unrighteous acts of the religious leaders standing there that day. That they also were guilty of breaking the Law of Moses in one form or another. 
The religious leaders in the story did not bring a false accusation. The woman did indeed commit adultery (although her partner in the crime seems to be missing from this event!), and the Law of Moses is clear on the punishment. So what does this mean? Is Jesus telling the leaders that they should ignore the Law of Moses? Well, the Law of Moses doesn't cleanse sin, it just makes us knowledgeable of sin. (Rom. 3:20). The only remedy the Law of Moses could provide was a temporary one of animal blood sacrifice, that was a type and shadow of the perfect, and all-time sacrifice that would be provided in the future by God, Himself, in the form of His only begotten Son. So what was Jesus trying to demonstrate, or teach to this group?
There is a principle in our civil law called "clean hands". If you come to court, making an accusation against someone, you must come to court with "clean hands". In other words a drug dealer cannot sue someone saying the person did not pay him for the drugs that were sold. The drug dealer is breaking the law himself, and therefore, he does not have good standing to accuse the other person. He, himself, does not have "clean hands". The court will not hear his case. Perhaps we can say that Jesus was telling the religious leaders that they "did not come to court with clean hands". Their actions did not come forth out of a condition of righteousness.
So who does have "clean hands"?Of our own strength, none of us do! The scriptures say:
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
                                             Romans 3:23
"As it is written: There is none righteous, no, not one;"
                                              Romans 3:10
"They have all turned aside, 
They have together become corrupt;
There is none who does good, No, not one.
                                               Psalms 14:3, Psalm 53:3
"For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not."
                                                Eccl. 7:20

What about when we want to please God, and try to exercise control over our thoughts and behavior? Can't we be righteous then? We know right from wrong, and can choose to act righteously, can't we? The Prophet Isaiah says:
"But we are all like an unclean thing,
And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags;
We all fade as a leaf,
And our iniquities, like the wind, 
Have taken us away."
                                               Isa. 64:6

It is not possible for us to be or act righteously by our own strength and determination alone.
We cannot buy righteousness, we cannot earn it, we cannot deserve it. We cannot follow a law to achieve it. Righteous words, thoughts and deeds, come from out of a re-created, a converted, spirit and soul. It is a flow that should come forth out of the Christ that we have asked to reside in us, the Holy Spirit that dwells in us to lead us into all the righteousness of our Father (Rom. 3:22):
"(for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth)".
                                              Eph. 5:9

So often, we, the Church, think this means that we can look at all those around us for the purpose of identifying others' unrighteous acts. Now that we are righteous, we can speak of the unrighteousness of others. But this does not sit well in my soul. It is said that a person cannot repent unless they know they have sinned. So we need to bring that sin to their consciousness. But then, it seems to me that we are no more effective than the Law of Moses was, only giving a knowledge of sin, but not providing the remedy. We are telling people to free themselves of unrighteousness, but we do not tell them that their freedom is not found in the natural, but in the supernatural gift of Christ. I think sometimes we have made people aware, but we do it to accuse, not to remedy. How can we be so quick to point out the sins we see around us, without looking, first, at the sin and unrighteous acts within ourselves? When the world sees us genuinely dealing with, and repenting of our own unrighteousness, they will then be able to take seriously our message to them of repentance and cleansing through the righteousness of God, which is Jesus Christ.
Does this mean that the Church should never call sin what it is - harm, death, decay? Isn't that the truth? Shouldn't we stand for the truth without compromise? So what is the answer?
Inside me, the suggestion comes that if I am indeed a vessel of that free, merciful gift of righteousness through Jesus, shouldn't my life reflect that grace? Though my sin may be visible, regardless of my desire to live righteously, shouldn't there be a quality about my life that leads others to ask: "What is the source of that difference I can see in you? How can I have that also?"
If the only way I can bring the attention of others to the need for repentance is by pointing a finger at them, then haven't I failed in my walk with Christ? Shouldn't my life be an open book of the fruits of my own repentance? Shouldn't righteous thoughts, words and deeds flow out of my saved spiritual condition?
In Eph. 5, scripture tells us to be the same kind of light that Jesus was, and is. It tells us to walk as children of light (Eph. 5:8). This light that dwells in us shines onto works of darkness and exposes them, even unrighteousness covered and hiding in secret (Eph. 5:11-13).
In another place in scripture, Jesus said to the crowd who followed Him, who felt justified in righteousness based on the fact that they were descended from Abraham,
"Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, "We have Abraham as our father." For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones."         
                                                                  Luke 3:8
They thought they achieved righteousness by who their ancestor was. We are not born into the condition of righteousness. Righteousness is a way of life that mirrors the Father's words, and actions.

In the story of the woman who was caught in adultery, wouldn't Jesus have been speaking the truth to agree with the crowd, and convict the woman of adultery? Yet He didn't do that. He showed her, and the crowd, something completely different about the condition of righteousness, and then said to her "...go and sin no more."
 We, on the other hand want to tell the world "go and sin no more", without showing them the "something different" that comes from the character and wisdom of God. Isn't it so, that the world has become weary of hearing us tell them how they do not walk in righteousness, when they see that we do not either? We call others to repentance, but where is our repentance for our own thoughts, words, and deeds? Don't we want the fruit that comes with repentance that Jesus told us to seek? Isn't it so hard to examine ourselves truthfully, see our personal faults and shortcomings, and ask for forgiveness for them? Yet, we want others to do this, without them even knowing or understanding Who our Father is, Who Jesus really is? Scripture instructs God's own people to humble themselves and repent (2 Chron. 7:14).
Even within the Church, we look at our brothers and sisters, and so easily discern their shortcomings. We point the finger at the other, and talk about their errors and mistakes, but fail to see our own. This is self-righteousness. We are back to thinking that we are righteous by our own goodness and strength, or by who our parents were, or because of what church we attend, or for other reasons of the flesh. It is not possible to be righteous by our own ability, as we saw in the scriptures above. 
If we do not examine ourselves first, and do so continually, we are coming to court without "clean hands". If we insist on standing in our own righteousness, then the righteousness of God through Christ, can no longer do a work in us. We will have chosen to stand before God in our own strength, rather than in His strength, in our own righteousness, rather than His righteousness. This is not wisdom.
If I was standing in that circle of religious leaders accusing the woman of adultery, what sins of mine would Jesus be writing in the dirt? I hate to even think of it, but for the woman's sake, as well as my own, I need to take it very seriously. If I want to see her restored and saved, and myself walking in righteousness, I have no choice but to examine what Jesus is writing in the dirt about me.
Before we can even begin to hope to impact the world with calls for repentance and a demand for righteous behavior, we each need to read what Jesus is writing in the dirt about us. If we sincerely deal with these things before Him, then and only then, can we be effective in our call of repentance to the rest of the world. Then and only then, can the righteousness of our Father become a part of our lives. Then our words will ring true and shine with Light, and reveal the works of darkness. Yes, the world seems full of sin, but the Word says, "Where sin abounds, grace does more abound". The power of the birth of Christ lies in the fact that God has good will toward men, and declares peace and reconciliation between men and Himself. All heaven is rejoicing that the Savior who has come to take man's sins away is born!
In Rev. 19, the Marriage of the Lamb is about to take place. The Bride has made herself ready, and is clothed in fine white linen, clean and bright. This fine linen is "the righteous acts of the saints." (Rev. 19:8). It is time not to just speak righteousness, but to BE righteousness. 
I believe we need to declare the righteousness of God, our Father (Psalm 40:9-10), to speak the truth of the need and the privilege to walk in righteousness, but the Psalmist also declares this:
"I delight to do Your will, O my God,
And Your law is within my heart."
                                                  Psalm 40:8 
In Zechariah, the angel of the LORD says to the priest, Joshua, as He clothes him in righteousness:
"If you will walk in My ways,
And if you will keep My command,
Then you shall also judge My house,
And likewise have charge of My courts;" 
                                                    Zech. 3:6-7 

As the verses above say, the way of righteousness starts with a change in my own heart. Why would the LORD want someone to judge His House, who does not himself, walk in the righteousness of our Father? This righteousness is found through Jesus only, not by my own power.
 
I do not know if I have the right understanding of this, but I know that what we are now doing, isn't working. We need to really think about this issue, and try to discern what the heart of God truly is in this. Time grows short, souls are in the balance, and there is much work to be done.

Our Father is Righteousness.


"Lord, I Need You"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKjmy5pGyqA

"You Are My Hiding Place"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EF5ieYJCqnw