JACHIN AND BOAZ - RELYING ON THE STRENGTH OF GOD

Recently, as I was reading in the book of I Kings, I came across the account of Solomon building the temple of YHWW(probably translated as "the LORD" in your Bible) in Jerusalem.  The building was according to very specific instructions, just as the Tabernacle before it.  In fact, the Temple of YHWH was designed to be an exact replica of God's throne room in heaven.  Interestingly, the pillars of the Temple, numbering 2, were given names.  Pillars are meant to uphold or support something. When we refer to someone as a pillar of the community, he is considered an upstanding citizen, a person of character, a person who contributes to the success of the community. Solomon named the two pillars in the front of the Temple Jachin and Boaz.  The pillars were symbolic as well as functional.  The names Solomon gave them are extremely important.  Jachin, pronounced Yaw-keen comes from the Hebrew root of God, Ya,  and keen meaning establishes - translation: God establishes.  The name Boaz means strength.  Jachin and Boaz loosely translates as "established by God's strength."

The Temple of YHWH in Jerusalem was a massive human undertaking, taking seven years of labor without the benefit of modern construction equipment.  Solomon named the pillars, the very first thing anyone would see on the approach to the Temple, Established by God's Strength to ensure that everyone in Israel would know where the true power of the temple resided, in God.  In fact, the very Glory of God resided in the Temple for many years, until the sin of Israel reached a level that God could no longer tolerate.  The symbolism of naming the pillars Jachin and Boaz demonstrated that all of Israel's purpose, faith and function was established and upheld by the power of God, not by human effort.


God reminds us throughout His word that it is He who empowers us to do His work and the results are supernatural.  In Zechariah 4:6 we find God telling the governor, Zeubabbel. as he is undertaking the rebuilding of Jerusalem and a new Temple: Then he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.
God's desire is for us to acknowledge Him that we may bring Glory to His name and that He may guide us and bless us.  Proverbs 3:6 states: In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.  God shows us through word, symbol and deed that He is the strength behind all of creatiion.

As in many of God's lessons to us, Jachin and Boaz has been co-opted by occultism and is used by Eastern mystics and especially Freemasons to infer a very different meaning.  These groups look to Jachin and Boaz to infer power and wealth to it's adherents through occultic power not associated with the God of scripture.  The true power of Jachin and Boaz is understanding that all the strength of the universe comes from God to be given to us at His pleasure and for His purpose.

Today, believers in Jesus Christ are each the Temple of the living God.  We are each indwelt by the Spirit of God and are His representatives on earth.  As our true home is yet to come, we are ambassadors  of Christ awaiting our call home.  While we are in this life, it is important that we understand Jachin and Boaz as God's establishing us, His holy Temples, through His strength.  Philippians 4:13 tells us: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  It is by the power of God that we are established and upheld, just as the Temple of YHWH was once established and upheld by the two pillars Jachin and Boaz.  As we remember that all our power and strength comes from God, we are apt to be more careful to pray for guidance and direction.  God wants us to acknowledge Him and come to Him for all of our needs.  

There is nothing mystical found in the names Jachin and Boaz except the concept that all good things are established by the power and strength of our Creator and Lord, Jesus Christ.  The meaning of Jachin and Boaz are foundational to our spiritual growth as believers.  The more we acknowledge God and the more we call on Him for guidance and the more we submit to His will and authority, the more we will experience peace and joy in our lives.  God desires so much for us and we can experience great spiritual blessing by understanding that He is our lives, not simply part of our lives.

THE SO CALLED TOLERANT CROWD SHOW NO TOLERANCE FOR CHRISTIAN RAPPER BIZZLE

Once again, the very crowd screaming the loudest about tolerance has shown just how intolerant they actually are.  In the marketplace of ideas, apparently only ideas that agree with a liberal agenda are welcome.  Christian Rapper Bizzle has recorded a song pointing out the hypocrisy of the gay rights movement and the sin of the homosexual lifestyle.  In return, the same group that rings the bell of intolerance every time someone dares disagree with them, has found it appropriate to spew hatred and violence against Bizzle and his viewpoint.  Bizzle  has a viewpoint that has been shaped by his faith and his life experience, but because it is not a politically correct viewpoint or in lock step with the vocal minority, his view point is considered hateful and worthy of death.  One comment left on his video stated, "I'm gonna chop your body up..."


As a christian, I find most of the lyrics of most popular music to be distasteful at best.  I disagree in the strongest sense to songs that glorify sin.  My response... I do not buy it and I do not listen to it.  I believe that much of what is perpetuated as entertainment is disgraceful in the eyes of God and blatantly rebellious toward Him.  I find the celebration of sin repulsive and am sickened over the influence the entertainment industry has had over America in driving our culture farther and farther from the godly values that this country was founded on.  I would never threaten nor condone the murder of those who create such entertainment.  I do pray for entertainers when I think of it and I do set boundaries for what is acceptable in my home and I do encourage other believers to stand up for morality in their personal lives, but I cannot even imagine calling for the death of someone who has a different belief system than mine.

The fact that someone can be threatened and bullied for a viewpoint that does not match the moral bankruptcy of today's culture is outrageous.  Christianity is becoming marginalized because believers refuse to act on their proclaimed faith.  Church has become a social club and faith a matter of rhetoric rather than practice.  We, meaning the Church, continue to buy music that defies God and His moral commands, we continue to look the other way when open sin is practiced in our congregations, and we seldom, if ever, act on our convictions when confronted with clear issues of right and wrong.  The Church has not lost it's voice in America, we have forfeited it by our refusal to live uncompromised lives.  The vocal minority may very well have become the majority.

Bizzle's song "Same Love (A Response)" was written as a rebuttal to a Rap song called "Same Love" which endorses the homosexual lifestyle and was performed live at this year's Grammy Awards.  Our society has been kidnapped by the values of hell and one man dared stand up for the principles found in the Bible. I challenge believers to put your faith into action, get off the pew and into the game.  We are heading for a modern version of Sodom and Gomorrah while the the people of God sit and complain.  I salute Bizzle and his stand for truth.  If more believers put faith into action, the Church would have a voice and influence on the culture rather than the culture corrupting the church.

THE LORD'S PRAYER - JESUS TEACHING THE LAW OF MOSES

As I continue to study the Old Testament Law,  and compare it to the Gospel accounts, I am struck by how much the teachings of Jesus are really the teaching of the Law.  Moses gave the letter of the Law but Jesus came and taught the spirit of the Law.  Ultimately, Jesus is the Lawgiver and Moses simply the writer and enforcer of the Law. God gave Moses the Law on Mt. Sinai and Moses gave it to the people.  Studying the teachings of Jesus, it becomes clear that Jesus, according to His own words, did not come to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it, and in so doing, He explains the intent and purpose of the Law.  Jesus simplified the Law, if you will, making it applicable and liberating rather than difficult and restrictive.  Even the model for prayer that Jesus taught the disciples, commonly known as The Lord's Prayer, is a simplified version of the Song of Moses found in chapter 32 of Deuteronomy.  Where Moses used many words, Jesus brought it down to a personal level, presenting it to us as something we could personalize and understand.

Before we look at the comparisons between the Song of Moses and the Lord's model for prayer (Jesus' intent was not that we recite His words like some kind of mantra) we must first understand the purpose and intent of the Law.  God gave the Law and preserved it for us to this day for multiple reasons.  The first reason God gave the Law was to create a separation between His people and the rest of the pagan world.  The Law and it's prescribed methods of worship identified, clearly, the people of God. The second reason the Law was given was to protect the people. Many of the dietary laws and others concerning mold and disease, were meant to keep the people healthy and safe.  The third and most important reason for the Law, was to make man aware of his sin and reinforce the knowledge that man needs God but his sin separates him from God.  The Law was meant to, in the end, bring man, humbly, to God.  The Law was not meant to, nor could it, justify man before God.

Man took the Law and built on, making it burdensome, falsely believing that by following the letter of the Law, he could somehow be justified in the eyes of God.  Part of the ministry of Christ, was to show the people of Israel, for whom the Law was originally given, what He really meant when He gave the Law to Moses in the first place.  Jesus sought to liberate the people from the unwieldy and restrictive monstrosity created by thousands of years of lawyers and scribes.  King David, in the Psalms, spoke of his delight in the Law of God, the version of the Law that was practiced in the days of Christ was anything but delightful.  Jesus' mission was to explain the Law, showing that it's main intent was that we Love God and Love others, not with an emotional feelings based love, but with an active, intentional love that actually impacts the world around us.  The second part of Christ's mission was to reveal the sin nature of man, his inability to keep the Law, even in it's simplified form, and then to pay man's debt for failing to keep the Law.  Jesus gave the Law, Jesus explained the Law, Jesus fulfilled the Law and Jesus paid man's debt to the Law.

It is foundationally imperative that the follower of Christ reads and studies the full counsel of God, this includes the Old Testament, and yes, even the books of the Law.  When we study the Bible as a whole, we realize that God truly is the same today yesterday and forever.  Looking at Deuteronomy 32, we find Moses, at the end of his life, where he sang a song to the people of Israel.  The song of Moses goes on for 43 verses but covers the same basic ideas that Jesus taught with very few words.

Jesus taught "Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name"
Moses spends the first 3 verses proclaiming the name or God and ascribing greatness to Him.

Jesus taught "thy kingdom come thy will be done"
Moses, in verses 4 - 9 describes God's establishing of His people and the ordering of the nations according to His will.

Jesus taught "Give us this day our daily bread"
Moses expounds on the provisions and blessings of God in verses 10 - 14

Jesus taught "forgive us our debts(sin) as we forgive our debtors"
Moses points out the sins of man and the consequences of those sins in verses 15 - 38 focusing on God's forgiveness.

Jesus taught "lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil"
Moses reveals that God is the only true deliverer

According to the King James Version Jesus said, "For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever, amen.
Moses dedicated the end of his song to rejoicing in God demonstrating worship

Today, we, the followers of Christ, are not bound to the letter of the Law.  The letter of the Law was specifically given to Israel for a specific purpose.  James, the brother of Jesus demonstrates this at the Jerusalem council.  We are, however, required to live by the spirit of the Law, even as we are called to live according to the Spirit of God... Love God, love others.  Jesus made it very simple for us.

We must always remember that Jesus is the lawgiver as well as the one who gives us freedom from the Law by the blood He shed on the cross.  Acknowledge your sin, place your faith in Christ, love God, love others - Wow, Jesus really did make it simple!

WALLS OF JERICHO - GOD'S WAY BRING'S GOD'S RESULTS

At church this Sunday, the message was about  Joshua leading the children of Israel into the promised land and conquering the city of Jericho.  This made me consider the method that God prescribed to the Israelites.  No strategist, general or commander of any army would ever dare order his troops to march around a city for 7 days and expect the city to fall.  Two things had to be at play, one, God had to have a supernatural hand in the matter and two, Joshua and the Israelite army had to have absolute faith in God.  The orders God gave to the Joshua would seem ludicrous to anyone who has even a fleeting understanding of warfare.  Interestingly, the Bible says that the ways of God seem foolish to those that do not know God.

 I Corinthians 2:14  The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

Oftentimes, the method God chooses to accomplish His will in our lives is not anywhere close to how we would plan or even imagine.  Personally, I have seen God creatively bring me to His will.  I remember when in the mid 1990's I thought I was too busy to go to Bible College.  First I suffered an injury at work which incapacitated me for a few weeks and when I did not get the message from that event, I suffered a hernia delivering food to homeless kids on Ft. Lauderdale Beach. After six weeks on my back, I realized I would have all the time I needed to work full time and attend college.  Amazingly, I managed to take on a full 13 credit hour load, work full time and serve in my church.  God showed me the way when I thought there was no way.

In the Jericho account, we see God providing a victory for His people in a most unconventional manner.  Only a people who totally trust God would ever dare to embark on such a method of warfare.  God called His people to trust Him and when they did, He brought down the walls.  Joshua did not make a plan and then ask God to bless it, Joshua listened to God and obeyed.

Many times, we have walls before us that seem impossible to bring down.  We plan, we strive, we worry, and all to no avail.  The most effective method for overcoming seemingly impossible situations is listening to God and obeying His direction.  Instead of making plans and asking God to bless them, we need to seek God's will and method.  As we submit to the will of God in our lives, we will see many strongholds broken and lives changed.  Remember, not only did God bring the walls down but He also brought Rahab the Harlot to salvation. Joshua's obedience to God led to a great victory and the salvation of a whole family.

When there are issues in life that seem to be continual struggles regardless of how much we attempt to overcome them, it is time to rely on the supernatural power of God.  What has God directed you to do to bring down the walls in your life.  What has God directed you to do in order to make disciples of those you interact with each day.  God's method may seem unconventional yet it is His supernatural involvement that changes our lives.

Joshua waited, listened and obeyed.  That is what we need to do as well.  Wait, listen, obey and let God bring down the walls.  When God brings down the walls, we can walk into victory and see the lives of others change through our obedience.

CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER NEEDS OUR PRAYERS - PROGRESSIVE REVELATION AT WORK

I read an article on Charles Krauthammer that saddened me to a certain degree.  Charles krauthammer is, according to Wikepedia "a Pulitzer prized winning... journalist, a political commentator and a physician."  Undoubtedly, Mr. Krauthammer is very intelligent.  The fact that he is a conservative commentator shows that he is a man who derives his ideas from facts and not merely emotion. The part of the article that saddened me is Krauthammer's views on God.  Charles Krauthammer acknowledges that there must be some grand designer  as the universe is ordered and must have been created intentionally.  Krauthammer goes on to say that to think the universe made itself is foolish.  Krauthammer is right on up to this point, but he then goes on to explain that he feels inadequate to define God and does not hold the "accepted accounts" of who God is.

In the Bible, we see a concept called progressive revelation.  Romans 1 tells us that all men are without excuse when it comes to matters of faith, because God has revealed Himself to us in nature.  The road to faith begins with the acknowledgement of a creator.  When a person comes to the belief in a creator, God reveals more of Himself.  There have been accounts from the mission field of remote tribes greeting missionaries with enthusiasm because the people of theses tribes acknowledged a creator and God began to reveal Himself to them, finally sending missionaries to share the truth of Christ.  Charles Krauthammer has acknowledged a creator in his personal theology but he has apparently rejected the further revelation of God in his life.

When I consider a man of brilliance like Charles Krauthammer, I get terribly frustrated by his unwillingness to embrace true faith.  The Bible says that the truth of scripture is foolishness to the wise.  The Gospel, in it's simplicity, is not easily grasped by intellect, it requires a high degree of faith.  Once a person comes to faith, it is hard to imagine that others cannot see the logic behind the Gospel.  For those outside of faith, Christian truth is one of many voices competing for prominence and acceptance.  The fact that Christianity is one of the only voices that claims exclusivity, intellectual minds reject the notion with out a fair hearing. That is why we need the power of prayer.

The church can come up with all sorts of slick programming and packaging but the truth is, prayer is still the most powerful tool in our spiritual tool box.  As we pray for the lost, we begin to love them and as we love them our feelings will transform into actions and love will be a verb in our lives, not just a concept or emotion.  My prayers will be with Mr. Krauthammer and others like him, those whose intellects hinder their faith.  I will pray that they will experience true acts of love from believers in their lives and that love and faith can overcome the intellectual mind's natural tendency to reject the simplicity of the Gospel message.

Charles Krauthammer has acknowledged a creator, pray that he will embrace the next revelation God shares with him about Himself. Pray that Charles Krauthammer will embrace Christ as his savior, recognizing that not only does it make sense, but it is the only theological model that works.

FIRE BREAKS OUT FROM GOD - DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN THE HOLY AND THE PROFANE

In Exodus, we read the account of Moses consecrating his brother Aaron, and Aaron's sons, to the position of High Priest over Israel.  God gave Moses and Aaron specific instructions on how to prepare for the ministry and how to direct worship and sacrifice.  As the new priests are making offerings to God and God is responding in full sight of the people, we read that two of Aaron's newly ordained sons present an unauthorized fire before the Lord and are killed with fire from heaven.  This seems to be a very harsh reaction from God, when, after all, the young men were offering worship to God.  God's reaction is justified as He is establishing a separation between what is holy and what is profane.  The fire the sons of Aaron were offering was not prescribed by God but was most likely part of pagan practices back in Egypt.  What should have been a sacred day of celebration was made very somber by the fact that the sons of Aaron chose to bring the old unacceptable practices and combine them with that which was holy.

God took the Israelites out of Egypt for the specific purpose of creating a nation of people set apart to proclaim His name in the earth.  The religious practices of the Egyptians were detestable to God as the Egyptians worshiped a multitude of false deities.  The people had attempted to incorporate some of those practices at the foot of Mt. Sinai a few weeks earlier and it ended very badly for them as God brought a plague upon the nation that killed thousands.  Now, it appears that the newly anointed priests are once again attempting to bring a little of the old sinful practices into the worship experience.

God's reaction is swift and definitive.  There is no doubt about how God viewed the son's of Aaron introducing pagan practices to a holy worship service.  God commanded Aaron and his other sons to not mourn for their loss and to let it be a lesson for them to distinguish between the clean and he unclean.  Today, so many churches and ministers feel compelled to mix the unholy with the holy in an attempt to make the church more comfortable to unbelievers. Church should not be comfortable to unbelievers, it should be a place where they are convicted of sin and see God as a judge who wants to forgive and restore them.  The emerging church movement, the seeker church, or what ever you choose to call it, purposely brings the world into the church, referencing popular culture as a means to make a point. Unfortunately, these references are often to songs, movies or television programs that are not appropriate in any way. In an attempt to win the lost, these references are used without any disclaimer, leaving the congregant to believe these songs, shows and films are acceptable to the believer.  When the church begins to open the door to cultural references that glorify sin and do not condemn that sin, a mixed message, at best is presented.  The biggest danger is leading people away from holiness.

God has given us many examples in His word in reference to how He wants us to worship, behave and interact with others.  Some of those lessons are sated emphatically and some are demonstrated by the real life events recorded in scripture.  The question we must ask is, "why did this happen and why was it recorded in the Bible." Every word in the Bible serves a specific purpose, ordained by God, to teach us valuable lessons.  

God has shown us over and over again that He wants His people to be holy and separate from the culture of sin.  The Israelites were commanded to not mix with the pagan nations in the promised land.  The Church is commanded to "be holy as your Father in heave is holy."  Holiness is not a suit we put on for church once or twice a week but a daily lifestyle choice.  The church should be in the business of encouraging and promoting holiness, not bringing the unholy in to make a point.

Using popular culture to find relevance will only lead the church to further irrelevance, as there will be little to distinguish the believer from the unbeliever. The mixing of the profane with the holy pollutes the holy and dishonors God.  The role of the Church is to honor God and equip the saints to works of service.  The job of saints is to make disciples.  Nowhere does the Bible call us to blend in with sinners or employ cultural references that endorse sin to bring sinners to Christ.  In attempting to make Christianity cool the church becomes lukewarm and a lukewarm church leads people to the fires of hell.

POPE FRANCIS -FRIEND OF THE WORLD...

In the book of James it says:   James 4:4  You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 
Pope Francis has worked very hard to be a friends with the world.  The Bible states that you cannot serve two masters as you will hate one and love the other.  Francis clearly desires the approval of the world over the approval of God.  In the past two weeks, the pope has been named the Person of the Year in two separate magazines, Time, a liberal propaganda machine disguised as a news magazind, and The Advocate, a homosexual activist magazine.  Last month atheists Bill Mahr and Richard Dawkins gushed over what a great pope Francis was because he was so progressive.  Meanwhile, conservative Catholics cringe every time Francis opens his mouth.

The Advocate, an extremist homosexual publication, condemned both Pope Benedict and John Paul II for their stance on homosexuality.  The two most previous Popes both referred to homosexuality as intrinsically evil.  The current Pope seems to shrug his shoulders and say "eh.." when asked about his feelings on homosexuality.  Yes, Francis currently holds a stance against same sex marriage, but so did both Clintons a few years ago, this year, both Bill and Hillary Clinton came our in favor of gay marriage, people's view change with the political climate.  I am positive that if the new pope felt he could get away with it, he would preform a same sex marriage on the Vatican steps for all the world to see.

James, the half brother of Jesus, wrote in the above passage that friendship with the world makes a person an enemy of God.  Pope Francis is the most recognized religious figure in the world.  For many, the Pope represents the face of Christ's church.  Christ gave the church a mission, to go into all the world making disciples.  Jesus commanded His followers to carry the Gospel to the lost all over the world. The last time I checked, the Gospel message is man, separated from God by sin and Jesus Christ sacrificing Himself on the cross to forgive our sins. Man needs to repent and believe in the person and work of Jesus Christ in order to be saved.  The gospel of Pope Francis is if you live according to your conscience, even if you are an atheist, you will go to heaven.

This Pope may be a so called nice person, he may have great compassion for the poor and the downtrodden, that is all good and well, he should care about the needy as all who call themselves Christian should.  The problem with this Pope is he does not understand that the helping of the poor also should include the sharing of the Gospel of Christ.  Jesus condemned the religious leaders of His time because they missed the point of their service.  During Christ's ministry, He told the religious leaders that they were right in tithing and giving to the poor, but that they did not teach Godliness and repentance,  Jesus told them that they should be doing both things.  The religious leaders then were more concerned with notoriety for themselves than promoting the true things of God.

This Pope is behaving in a most heretical manner.  Francis has chosen to promote the policies of Satan by not standing up for the Gospel truth and issues of morality. Pope Francis has bought into the new morality, a social justice with no other agenda.  Social justice should be a by product of faith, and should be a catalyst to sharing Christ. In the new morality, God is not necessary nor welcome.  In the new morality, the end justifies the means, no matter no matter how evil the means may be.  In the new morality, the only moral choice is choice itself, choice to kill the unborn, choice to have sex with whomever and wherever one desires, choice to follow ones own conscience despite the clear teachings of God, and choice to reject God completely.

The world has turned a corner in the past few years, a corner that has led far from God.  Churches have traded the Gospel for so called social relevance.  Ministers have allowed worldly methods of church growth to overshadow the true Gospel message. There is very little call to holiness in today's church.  The Pope and many so called ministers like him have traded the truth for popularity.  Friendship with the world is enmity with God, it cannot be stated with any more clarity. Millions are dying and going to hell but the new Pope is cool, so whoop dee doo.

TOUGH TIMES REQUIRE JOSEPH-LIKE FAITH

                        TRUSTING GOD THROUGH DISCOURAGING TIMES


As I studied the story of Joseph yesterday, I was struck by his faithfulness in the midst of horrible circumstances.  As we go through life, we often find ourselves in less than optimal situations, these are the times that we must remain faithful to God, just as Joseph did.  We start life with many expectations and often these expectations go unmet and we face discouragement.  Too often, we allow discouragement to give way to poor decision making or retaliatory behavior that can be self destructive.  Joseph remained faithful to God and his faithfulness paid off in a big way.

Joseph spent the first 17 years of his life like a pampered prince.  He was the favorite son out of 10 before him and his father gave him special treatment.  This led to the resentment of his brothers and at the age of 17, Joseph's brothers sold him into slavery.  This could certainly have led to Joseph becoming discouraged.  Joseph's life expectations were to grow up in a life of privilege and to rule over the rest of his family.  Joseph did not allow discouragement to determine his behavior.  As a slave, he did his best and remained faithful to God.  Soon, he found himself the head slave in wealthy man's home.

Joseph now had a new set of expectations, he should now expect a life of responsibility and honor over his fellow servants and trust and respect from his master.  Joseph's master, Potiphar, trusted Joseph over his entire household.  Unfortunately, Potiphar's wife also took a strong liking to Joseph, but Joseph demonstrated his faithfulness to God by not allowing his master's wife to seduce him.  Joseph did what was right and the result was he was falsely accused of rape and imprisoned.  Once again, Joseph did not realize the expectations he had for his future and, once again, Joseph had seemingly legitimate cause to become discouraged.  Joseph did not become discouraged, but instead, he remained faithful to God and was given responsibility and honor within the prison system.

For 13 years, Joseph was enslaved or in prison, undoubtedly wondering what God's plan could possibly be for him.  For 13 years Joseph, instead of becoming discouraged and self destructive, made the best of his situation and trusted God.  When the opportunity came for him to interpret a dream for Pharaoh, Joseph gave glory and honor to God.  God blessed Joseph's faithfulness and elevated Joseph to second in command over all Egypt and 9 years later, reunited him with his family in the land of Egypt.  Joseph did not get instant gratification, many years went by before he was able to see the blessings of God through his faithfulness.

We sometimes find ourselves in a place we do not want to be.  Life sometimes goes left when we think it should go right.  When we think we deserve something and we do not get it, our expectations go unmet.  These are all situations where we are ripe for discouragement and all the negative behavior and thinking that goes along with it.  Bad choices and behavior are often the cause of life not going as expected.   Whether those bad choices or behaviors are our own or that of someone else is irrelevant in the grand scheme of things, we are still responsible for our response to that situation.

Discouragement, if allowed to take root, will cause irrational thoughts to seem rational and allow for unproductive and sometimes destructive thoughts and behavior.  When we rebel against our circumstances, we are really rebelling against God and demonstrating that we no longer trust His judgment over our lives.  Had Joseph not encountered a series of unmet expectations, he would not have been in position to rule the land of Egypt and save his family from starvation.  I can attest to the fact that when I find myself in a scenario that I would not have chosen, it is usually a vehicle which God is using to move me into a particular situation that is better than the situation I was in originally.

Brother or sister, if you are in a place that you would not have chosen, if you are currently living in the middle on unmet expectations you had for life, if it seems nothing ever goes right for you I encourage you, God encourages you, to remain faithful.  God has a plan for you and a desire to bless others through you.  God loves you tremendously as demonstrated by His sacrifice on the cross.  You are precious to God and He will lead you to the place of refreshing.  The LORD has preserved for us the account of Joseph that we may see His faithfulness even when it seems we are abandoned.  Joseph did not receive instant gratification, it took 22 years before he was elevated and restored to his family.  The key is that he was lifted up and did experience restoration.  Whatever you are suffering, God is in the midst of it with you.  The Bible tells us to "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understandings, in ALL YOUR WAYS acknowledge Him and he will direct your path."

God loves you and is with you even when you feel the most alone, fear not for God is with you!

AS A CHAPTER TO LIFE ENDS ANOTHER BEGINS

     OUR FAMILY SAYS GOODBYE TO BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA AND HELLO TO                                                                       TRAIL LIFE


Last night, our family said a very painful goodbye to the Boy Scouts of America.  My father was as scout, I was a scout and my 2 eldest sons were scouts.   Last night my middle son crossed over from Webelos to Boy Scouts.  During the ceremony, the Scoutmaster told each boy, as they made their transition from Cub Scout to Boy Scout, that they were now on the trail to Eagle.  All the boys were told this except my son because he is no longer on the trail to Eagle.  Instead, we will be joining an organization called Trail Life.  It is a bittersweet decision for our family.

The Boy Scouts of America have seen fit to make a major policy change beginning January 1, 2014 in which openly homosexual boys will be permitted to participate.  The BSA formerly banned homosexual boys and leaders from the organization.  It was only a few years ago that the BSA spent millions of dollars to uphold this policy and fought all the way to the Supreme Court.  Financial and leftist social pressure have led to the BSA abandoning it's Biblically based standard and making a mockery of the Scout Oath which calls for a scout to be Morally Straight.

For more on this please check out my blog BOY SCOUTS LIFT THE BAN AND LOWER THE LID.

BSA made the policy change fearing the loss of corporate dollars.  Ironically, the corporations BSA was trying to appease still pulled support, citing the new policy did not go far enough as openly gay leaders are still banned.  What the BSA has accomplished is marginalizing the families who hold Biblical standards, losing of support from one of the  largest faith based organizations in the country, the Southern Baptist Convention, and the losing of millions of corporate dollars.  The only winner in this matter is the liberal left which seems hell bent on subverting and destroying any vestiges of morality and Godliness in this country.

The loss of corporate support was so great that the cost of scouting has risen from $16 to $24 per registration.  Membership in the state of Texas alone has dropped by more than 50 percent.This is will only be the tip of the iceberg as every event and outing will soon cost a great deal more as more families drop out and no corporate money is flowing in.  The social ramifications of this misguided and destructive decision is yet to be realized.  What happens when an openly gay Eagle Scout turns 18 and is told he can no longer be part of Scouting?  Will he go away quietly or will the rabid homosexual lobby groups make a mad dash to the New York Times and flood the media with the terrible injustice of "banning someone based on who he chooses to love."?  It is only a matter of time before openly gay men and women are granted unrestricted access to boys in scouting, actively shaping and guiding them for the future.

Great Briton's scouting organization has welcomed homosexuals years ago, both as scouts and leaders.  this past year has seen the British Scouts holding gay pride events and endorsing the homosexual lifestyle.  America is only a few years away from this reality.  The camel's head is under the tent, and the fanatical gay rights groups will not rest until scouting not only allows unfettered access by gay leaders but endorses and celebrates their perverted lifestyle.

The Bible clearly states God's view on homosexuality in Romans chapter 1.

Rom 1:21  For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 
Rom 1:22  Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 
Rom 1:23  and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. 
Rom 1:24  Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 
Rom 1:25  because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. 
Rom 1:26  For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 
Rom 1:27  and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. 
Rom 1:28  And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 
Rom 1:29  They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness...

The blessing in all this is a group called Trails Life that will be offering a similar experience to boys and young men while holding on to the Biblical concept of morality.  We are looking forward to being part of this new organization.  If the homosexual agendaists, as I believe they will, make a big noise next year causing disruption of scouting, many more parents will take their children and leave.  Thankfully, there will be an established program in place to welcome God fearing families who want to be part of an organization that honors the Lord.

As one door has closed, it is apparent that God has opened another door. Time will tell what the fate of the BSA will be but it is absolutely certain that the organization can no longer expect the blessing of God, despite the fact that every boy swears to do his duty to God and country. The BSA has abandoned God by endorsing a lifestyle choice that He has clearly condemned.  My prayers are with the Godly families who stay to make a difference and to be a light that they may fulfill the call God has placed on their lives to remain and be a difference.  I also pray for the new organization, Trail Life, that it would provide quality experiences and moral  guidance for the youth of America.

IS JESUS REALLY GOD? ASK MOSES!

   

       Is Jesus Christ God or was he merely a great man favored by God?  This is a debate which has continued for the last 2000 years.  Is there a clear answer in scripture or does God leave us to speculate?  The answer to the  question of who Jesus is defines your relationship with God.  

     If Jesus was simply a good man, killed for upsetting the status quo, his death is meaningless, concerning our eternal state.  If Jesus was perfect, and only God is perfect, then His death on the cross was not for His sin or some crime He committed but indeed becomes the sacrifice which frees us from the wages of sin, identified in scripture as death.  

     In other words, only if Jesus was perfect could His death on the cross be substitutionary and applied to us for the forgiveness of sin.  If Jesus was not perfect, his death was for his own sin and has no ability to cleanse us of our unrighteousness.  

      Since knowing the truth seems pretty important, knowing what the Bible says on the subject is equally as important. What follows is one of many proofs Jesus is indeed God.

     In the book of Genesis, God(YHWH) spoke to Abraham.  God gave Abraham two messages. One, he would have a son by Sarah in a year and two, He is about to bring judgment against Sodom.  In this account, God appears to Abraham as a man.  Scripture reveals 3 men show up to speak with Abraham. 

        Two men, we know, are angels as they go off to Sodom and warn Abraham's nephew Lot about the impending destruction of the cities of the plain. The third man is clearly identified as YHWH(YEHOVA) by Moses, rendered as LORD in our English translations.  Linking this account, with the words and acts of Christ,  prove it was actually Jesus who appeared to Abraham proving Jesus is God.

      Emphatically, God commands we worship none but Him.  Abraham not only worships the man who visited, the man accepted worship. Servants of God never accept worship.  In Revelation, an angel instructs John not to worship him.  In the Apostle Paul's travels, he instructs others to not worship him, but God.  Jesus, Himself, reminds the devil, "thou shalt worship the Lord thy God alone and Him only shalt thou serve."  If Abraham's visitor received worship, he was either a false servant of God or God in the flesh, there can be no other conclusion.

      When Moses spoke to God in the burning bush, Moses asked God His name.  God's response was, "I AM that I AM , YHWH is my  name."  Moses, who wrote the Genesis account, identifies the man who came to Abraham as YHWH.  So we can connect the dots: Moses identifies God as both I AM and YHWH.  We also see  God appear to Abraham as a man.

     Christ, during His ministry, walked the earth as a man.  Jesus specifically taught the disciples the Father is Spirit.  Abraham met God in the form of a man. When the religious leaders began to question Jesus about His authority He responded by saying, "you claim to have Abraham as your father... before Abraham was I AM."  The religious leaders knew exactly what Jesus was inferring as they picked up rocks to stone Him because they considered His words blasphemy, that a man should claim to be God.

     Moses intentionally identified the third man who came to Abraham as God in human form.  Moses also ensures the reader understands I AM and YHWH are one and the same. When Jesus declared "before Abraham was, I AM" it left no doubt Jesus is claiming to be the man who appeared to Abraham.  

      Jesus received worship as He rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.  Were He not God, His own words would condemn Him when He spoke Satan in the wilderness. 


     God's plan of redemption was always in sight.  As early the Garden of Eden, God declared His plan to save mankind and to destroy Satan.  As Jesus appears to Abraham and revealed to him he will be a blessing to all nations, God had the cross in sight.  God revealed the plan for man's redemption as soon as man sinned in the Garden.  God continued to reveal His plan throughout Israel's history and pre-history, in the case of Abraham.  This is the love of God -  He became a man to die for men who rebelled against Him. 

     Be secure in the knowledge Jesus is God and know your sins are forgiven at the cross because He, as God, was perfect.

Now, go live as Christ... and give the devil hell!