Tinsel of the modern age

We are getting the dirty dishwater instead of the meat of culture and life..

The gift of suffering

Suffering is a gift to the Christian to make sure the seductions of Satan do not tie his soul to what is essentially a glorified waiting room. This is all they have or will have.

Heritage of Spirit

Like a warrior who has a son who wants to be a painter, like Cain and Abel, Esau and Jacob, heritage and history require understanding and application to be effective.

Philosophy is useless without understanding. Many are sons by adoption.

We reflect the equal temper of our heroic hearts

Our values, not our externals are the core of our lives and our effect on the world around us.


The noble man makes noble plans, and by noble deeds he stands Proverbs 20.17 TEV

Only obediance

If only I had known the power of obediance and how it alone defeated Satan attacks I had no idear how ferociously we were being attacked at all times I am glad to know for the sake of others. I am glad to experience things so that others more normal will not suffer. I have fewer needs than many

Obssessive exclusions

God what is the purpose of the persistent exclusion? It is not to exclude at all -- that is irrelevent, and always done. THey are mor interested in the process than the product. In fact, they insist on including you in the product.

It is the sorrow of others that is essential to these types of people.

So that the soul loses its grounding and is awash in a sea of misery where hte devil finds the door open to control the heart and mind. Christ does not allow this, the heart should be lowly, but not broken in this way because.

god tgives us the assurance of our value and necessity in life, our protection from overwhilming destruction, our being upheld under strong persecution.

We desire another country -- heavenly. We are trapped by seeking the approval of others, by relying on people wholeheartedly by worshipping the public we are to learn to be individuals upheld only by God's word this is the essential key that God wants us to develop. We are to be separate, to lose all other people, to lose our lives.

The Christian heart holds onto faith, truth and beauty, which never dies or changes. It is the natural heart which must die because it is Satan's playground.

It is blessed to mourn and be lowlyBut it is dangerous to allow your hearts joy to be taken awayThis is why Jesus says to have joy in the Lord because the Lord cannot be taken away

The Satans

adversaries are sometimes called 'the satans'

and if that is the case then I have run into a nest of them

You are With Me

Christ in His humiliation was glorified

He who in all other eyes appeared to be conquered was a conqueror.

Sacrifices for good bring glory even if everyone is blinded by

God is the keeper of the glory of His children

Glorified in heaven

Men were given power over His earthly life and body

But the divinity and glory from heaven was revealed in His character.

It is an eternal promise to all martyrs all those who sacrifice for Christ. This day as you suffer and die you are with me in paradise.

from Desire of Ages

Lucifer's Dream

Lucifer desired God's power, but not His character
DA 435

To Do Good is Essential

For if you exercise restraint in the doing of good, you will commit a great sin.

http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/shepherd.html

Useless Standards

If Jesus was so perfect and He suffered so much
how much is credited to Him on this earth let alone in heaven.

By making the criteria social and earthy even Christ could not meet the desires of earth's community and He is God. But I suppose that is the point.

So if a community on earth has standards that God himself will not meet then what is the meaning of their ideas? e.g. A perfectly made bed.

The meaning of perfection is lost in the reliance upon it. It does not take humanity anywhere that it needs to go. It is like a whitewash over the true needs of the human being.

In Honor of Christ

Saint Patrick's Breastplate

I bind myself to-day
The strong Name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One and One in Three.

I bind this day to me for ever
By pow'r of faith, Christ's Incarnation;
His baptism in Jordan river;
His death on Cross for my salvation;
His brusting from the spicèd tomb;
His riding up the heav'nly way;
His coming at the day of doom;
I bind unto myself today.


I bind unto myself today
The virtues of the star-lit heaven,
The glorious sun's life-giving ray,
The whiteness of the moon at even,
The flashing of the lightning free,
The whirling wind's tempestous shocks,
The stable earth, the deep salt sea,
Around the old etrnal rocks.


Chirst be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.


I bind unto myself the Name,
The strong Name of the Trinity;
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One, and One in Three.
Of Whom all nature hath creation:
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation,
Salvation is of Christ the Lord.

Emissarianship

Persecution will spread the light. (Ellen White)


This is probably why early Christians were forced to move from place to place, to be God's emissaries to be everywhere that He wants to reach and to also block the unholy deeds of Satan.

Strengthen your decision

We are on this earth for a decision. As Christ said, He came to earth to separate between those who accept Him and those who reject Him.

Our time here is spent developing and proving our choice. God is giving us time to choose Him. Those who choose Him have their choice strengthened by trials.

The time is short. Eternity is long. (Dietrich Bonhoeffer)

This is the time of decision. It is not the time for pursuing new spiritual states outside of what God gives us through the Holy Spirit.
The commands of God are simple and the whole gospel is simple because it is impossible for us to do. It is really God who does it after we accept Him. (Can you imagine an exalted God waiting for His mangy children to accept Him!)

This earth is a rescue mission and we have eternity to spend on other things.

Turning away

Fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Matt. 10.27

Which means to fear anything that turns your heart away from Christ.

It is not that God does not like pleasure or money or all of the things that He created us to enjoy. It is a temporary need for restraint.

Beware of men

Beware of men

Do not expect men to be able to do any good since Satan may at any time control us all.

Expect little but give what heaven gives to you seems to be the theme -- to treat them as though they were Christ. (EGW)

No man can be true to God without exciting opposition. (Ellen G. White)

And so agape becomes joy

If only they would give up everything else and have only agape love.

It seems as though agape love is actually a kind of submission

it is first love and acknowledgement of God

and then an openness and obedience that treats others as God has commanded us to.

Then this submission and obedience dictates our conduct towards others and directs the heart's compassions.

And so agape becomes joy.

Love is stronger than death

Men love darkness and it seeps into their souls. "I came that men might have light," and not by anything in sight, but through faith.

I cannot fight love
when our heart's desires are bound to something it is impossible to break this bond apart.

For love is stronger than death.

So then, if they choose to follow what they need instead of God

they are bound forever

what they need will devour them.

God help me, it is far beyond my strength or understanding. Bless me with the gift of obedience.

The separations

He who was an ethereal, powerful and omnipotent creator chose those twelve to represent HIM. The Christians are not a difficult social group to fit into. You will find poor and some rich, unsure and devoted.

The essence of God is not destroyed by these things. If He accepts them into heaven, He will make them ethereal and noble as well. They have all that it takes. They have chosen to believe and give their all.

The important and necessary part of humanity is not in the flesh, it is in the mind, the thinking, and the devoted heart.

Because we are so easily seduced Christ says to love Him alone and foremost so that nothing else will enslave us.

So this tearing apart of the canvas of the universe destroyed a picture, restored by God being made flesh and raising humans to a level of restorative.

The peace and harmony will endure.

This tearing is still going on, this separation. Each time a Christian chooses to love God instead of an earthly love a tear is made. Each time a Christian embraces suffering rather than turning from God another tear is made. The heart of the universe is being torn apart and as a consequence is burying the unholy that have turned from God.

Our suffering is the pain of separation as the fallen spirits call us to their side and God tries to hold us back from destruction.

Everything is being removed and renewed in heaven and on earth.

Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.
Numbers 16.21

by Kenyon Cox

Found on Art.com

http://www.art.com/asp/sp-asp/_/PD--10022790/Christ_1905.htm?sOrig=CAT&sOrigID=7566&ui=AD9240122AFE4FF181D02BEAAFC3E174

From Lamentations

The LORD himself has scattered them; he no longer watches over them. Lam 4.16

Christ cried over Jerusalem's destruction, so I suppose that there are some things that cannot be avoided.

To my parents

I just wanted to thank you for giving me some advice some time ago. You said to me "Just follow Jesus" and I remembered this and it helped me get through so many difficulties. I prayed today and I have been realizing that Jesus is Truth and must be obeyed.

But God has taken me through so many awful spiritual experiences -- and I believe that He is helping me to be defended against the wickedness that is coming into the world.
But I am glad because Your advice helped to sweep away doubts and confusion. It was a blessing from God.

Mom and Dad, I think that even in the worst of spiritual idolatries, if we give up something our hearts will return to God.

As it says in Lamentations :

Let him sit alone in silence, for the LORD has laid it on him. Let him bury his
face in the dust— there may yet be hope. Let him offer his cheek to one who
would strike him, and let him be filled with disgrace. Lamentations
3.28-30

When you are in the dust and have given up everything you own in the world, and God is moreimportantn to youthann yourdailyy bread, then God can reach you. As long as He gives you the strength to be faithful.

If all other loves are submitted to Him, then He will reign. He has to be everything.
It is always nice if you can retreat to a sanctuary, and ask God to take everything that distracts you from Him.

Necessary Love

It is such a necessary thing to find love, it is important that they, in sincerity, seek love. It is such a part of the wholeness of living. I would never destroy wholesome love because it is lovely. The more people who can find peace and love the better.

They were not seeking to know the truth, but to find some excuse for evading it

We avoid the simplicity of obedience.




The perception and appreciation of truth, He said, depends less upon the mind than upon the heart. Truth must be received into the soul; it claims the homage of the will. If truth could be submitted to the reason alone, pride would be no hindrance in the way of its reception. But it is to be received through the work of grace in the heart; and its reception depends upon the renunciation of every sin that the Spirit of God reveals. Man's advantages for obtaining a knowledge of the truth, however great these may be, will prove of no benefit to him unless the heart is open to receive the truth, and there is a conscientious surrender of every habit and practice that is opposed to its principles. To those who thus yield themselves to God, having an honest desire to know and to do His will, the truth is revealed as the power of God for their salvation. These will be able to distinguish between him who speaks for God, and him who speaks merely from himself. The Pharisees had not put their will on the side of God's will. They were not seeking to know the truth, but to find some excuse for evading it; Christ showed that this was why they did not understand His teaching.
DA 455



We think of a thousand inventions; but we neglect the one thing needful. Spurgeon

Naaman's servants went to him and said, "My father, if the prophet had told
you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then,
when he tells you, 'Wash and be cleansed'!" So he went down and dipped
himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his
flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy.
2 Kings 5.13,14

"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many
things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
Luke 10.41

It is the spiritual worship which is most acceptable to God, not the external in any form or shape. It is the heart that has fellowship with the Lord; and it needs little in the way of expressing itself, neither has God tied it down to this way or that. It may find its own methods of utterance so long as it is truly "moved by the Holy Ghost" [and] broken before God and worshipping Him in spirit and in truth. Spurgeon

After reading J'accuse

I am reading Emile Zola's J'accuse in translation.


J'accuse -- In French with an English Translation

I am enjoying his writing, but I am wondering why he chose mainly to reflect public opinion, albeit eloquently. When I originally read only the introductory paragraphs the article sounded pure and uplifitng like a Declaration of Independence. In certain instances it is nice to read about the personal habits of Jefferson and others (Washington et al), about their wooden teeth and unexpected progeny. You would think that a politically influential writer would try to influence by being at least more extreme in one direction or the other.

In any case I am actually encouraged to see how much effort goes into influencing public opinion, because it seems to indicate that in general it takes more effort than I thought it did to overcome the consciences of the people. I thought most automatically did wrong, I did not realized that they had to be convinced and brainwashed.

The bondage of small things

During times of great Satanic pressure it is probably best to avoid even smaller evils. God forgive them for excessive destruction, unnecessary evils and spiritual bondage of your children. Physical bondage is one thing spiritual another.


The importance of small things, by Spurgeon

A God of pleasure and beauty

If any man thirsts let Him come and drink. The whole purpose its to have Jesus show us how to be free.

Satan doesn't love anyone, no matter how much he flatters. He wants to keep us from God.

Jesus is not against riches or pleasure, it is just that here we cannot keep ourselves from selling our hearts to these things.

He is trying to keep us free long enough to reach a place where we can be rich eternally.

It is ridiculous to think that God who created pleasure would take it away from us. He just needs us to make sure we only worship Him.

The sin

God, will I never be able to write at all since I often make mistakes.

Consider the lilies

The bird flies
unknowing
blind
to seek
and God places food for them to meet.

God hides treasures and gifts in our lives which we must search out and find.
Others rely on themselves (aka Gentiles)

Seek righteousness
then seek
food

So it might be similar to loving your neighbor
it is to be done
as you love yourself

He tells us what God has given us
and promises
still to
give

He will always continue

God does not stop concerning Himself with our lives.

Warm wind and blue sea

Her embrace is like a warm and sunny day in a field of hay, or a mass of glowing flowers -- and a strong wind and a blue sea and all vigorous beautiful elemental things springing from the heart , and nature itself.

-- Ruth Draper, from Letter of Ruth Draper

Wouldnt it be nice if people were this pleasant instead of spiritually violent?

A satisfying performance

(About Ruth Draper) Rarely satisfied with her own performance . . .

Perhaps my standards are too low or t0o casual? I think everything is fine and ok.

Living love and feeling love

I will try phileo love and make some social effort, since I have a smidgen of energy. Love with compassion is one thing, love with affection another .

Perhaps if I consider this the human condition, it will allow me to layer it properly instead of trying to remold it.

To judge is to murder. It is to discard.

It seems as though Jesus tested His disciples, He did not let let just anyone follow Him. Not that He did not let them, but the cost was to be considered.

Prayer 0719

God, thank you for Your blessings and Your protections. Please help me to do what is right. Please deliver me from all unholiness and trouble. God, I want to obey You in all things.
They allow the argument.
There are so many commands Holy God, please help me to obey them all.
There are so many principles, please help me to find them.
Let me merciful God find these things and by Your grace minister to others as You have blessed me.
There are so many things that can be done.
God, please in Your mercy redistribute resources according not only to the good that can be done, but according the the degree of obediance. Teach me to obey You in all things even in things I don't understand.
I need to find more things in the bible. When was the last time I did a bible study?

Entropy

The black American experience is a very limited and narrow experience. The culture limits itself to what it considers 'cool' and powerful. It is suffocating for those who are not in it.

My father for example raised us litening to a wide variety of music. Non - Americans are part of the world culture that exchange ideas and flavors in order to enhance life. We listened to musicals and all kinds of classical music.

The exposure and interest is radically different and narrow. As i am seeking to expand my experience, the absolute last thing that I will do is limit myself for the sake of narrow minded people, black or white.

In fact the whole American culture is backwords and is devoid of philosophy. Restricting the experience of more cultured beings because of the ignorance of a few (unfortunately) rich is regressive. How awful that the world is made into a Carl Sandburg poem. (hogbutchers rule the world -- YUCK).

At the same time the fragility of progressive and creative thought -- it is such a shame to cut off the circumstances necessary for development.

But at the same time prophetically, perhaps it is time for an entropic implosion.

Using your children as an excuse for selfishness

If you want to know what God thinks of money, just look at the people he gave it to. Dorothy Parker

Actually, people with money can't all be like Abraham, but I don't think that she is talking about attitude or personality, but generosity. This lack of generosity eventually turns into violent destruction towards others and insipid self-serving behaviors.

To be as generous as Abraham, or Job, or any of the many wealthy biblical heroes, we have to realize that money is not for us to hoard, but to do our job, which is to be a source of relief and comfort in the world. We are given resources as stewards, as middlemen in the processing of money.

"But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from
you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' Luke 12.20

Perhaps this is one of the talents that God gives to people which is supposed to be a means of transforming the lives of others.

It is a deception of Satan to preach that it is necessary for us to be selfish for the sake of our children. If we are supposed trust God to take care of us, how much more are we to trust him to take care of our children, who do not belong to us, but to him. This is a popular lie to justify destructive and essentially evil behaviors. God gives us grace and provides for us, but we are never relieved from our duty to provide for the less fortunate. If Christ while He was on earth would share His own meal with those who needed food, how much more are we even when we are poor under obligation to give.

The widow of Zarephath was commanded by God through Elijah to take the very last of her food before she and her child starved to death and give it to the prophet of God, so that she could be provided for by God.

There is no one who calls himself Christian who can allow himself to excuse this Satanic spirit on the basis of necessity.

I King 17.13 Elijah said to her, "Don't be afraid. Go home and do as you have
said. But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring
it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. 14 For this is what
the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'The jar of flour will not be used up and the
jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD gives rain on the land.'
"

Flash and shine

There used to be, regardless of flash or shine, respectable and decent people. These are what I consider regular people. When I say mob, I mean people who behave like scavengers picking at their fellow human beings for scraps. This behavior is encouraged in modernity, but it needs to be rehabilitated.

The most comfortable society should be one of spirit-filled Christians because the grace of Christ will help smooth away the rough spots and to bond people together in true communion.

Judging

I kind of agree that to judge is to murder.

Parker poems

I do not know if I would write hymns of hate like Dorothy Parker because biting humor only makes me angry and jaded, but I could write numerous hymns of irritation.

Summary -Parker

Every loves the love before
In a duller dress
That's the measure of my lore
Here's my bitterness
Would I knew a little more
Or very much less

Ballade of Great Weariness -Parker
Scratch a lover and find a foe

Let the past DIE.

Fear and civility

Its is so strange. We believe in Ellen White, and it has become a part of our heritage since we joined the church by profession of faith. Once we accept the church we accept this as our background. The same thing with Christianity. It is a call to those who share beliefs and want to have a common spirit.

The church is able to maintain its standards without force because it requires committment beforehand.

It is funny that the same thing has not been done with Western Civ, which has now become a bit if a religion. There is no call to like-minded individuals. They do not wish to acknowledge that others can share this heritage (after all they themselves had to learn it from someone) because of so many reasons, fear, fear of superiority, fear of the entropy of civilization. Especially when so many things are normally taught by correction, and can continue to be taught by correction.

Sensitivity and Sin

There was that pastor struggling with a pickle, his conscience told him not to eat it. Is his struggle any less legitimate?

For the sake of a pickle can we lose God?

But Jesus says if something is a hindrance to our souls to cut it off.

How can you fellowship with someone who does something you think is a sin? Each man is accountable to God for what He does and believes.

Can two walk together unless they be agreed?

True Christianity

The Christian in dying spreads light, while the unholy, even in his riches, spreads darkness.

The Christian, even when given unpleasant and horrible things, is taught how to change them into beauty

The Christian in darkness still shines with love

This is the grace of Christ's spirit

The Christian is guided by providence.

The Christian is guided by providence and guarded by obstacles.

Also, if there is something that you are not able to get for some reason, move on to something else until God provides the opening.

Pray for God to either remove your obstacles or reveal another way.

If you must kill to get ahead, it is better to stay where you are. God will make you what you need to be.

As far as all of the other faults that you have --- indulging in sins and weaknesses weakens the protection of God around you. That is why, as He reveals your faults to you you will have to give up your unholiness because way of perfection is really the only way.

Learn to choose the holy path because even its negative consequences will only make you better.

God's Call is Irrevocable

Isnt it interesting, that the efforts of Christians are not to convince, but to reveal since God has already separated His children from the beginning.

And so our love for Jesus will either draw a soul and develop it or repel it and harden it in its unholiness. All of the opportunities that we give for others to hurt us reveal their hearts by whether they choose to do it or not.

All of these things are to reveal and not to change. There is the change of conversion as the heart is opened to Christ and old habits are turned away from, but these are realizations of one's true selves.

(after reading Spurgeon's sermon Separating the Precious from the Vile)

God's call is irrevocable Romans 11.29

This Too Shall Pass

Even in the midst of hellishness, it is better to focus on the way you want to remember a moment. When things are over the pain is quickly gone.

But while we are in the middle of things we try so hard to avoid heroism and humility because we think that the transient love of the lunatick public is more important.

They can suffer a little bit of embarrassment for the freedom of my soul. They too are only human.

It is better to do something unique in the face of criticism than to later regret doing nothing. Opinions change but a moment when past is gone forever.

It is a shame even to speak of the things that they do in secret

Give no opportunity to the devil.
Eph 4. 27
--Give the devil no room, space or license, power or occasion.
Ignore the devil completely
----------
TAKE NO PART IN THE UNFRUITFUL WORKS OF DARKNESS, BUT INSTEAD EXPOSE THEM For it is a shame even to speak of the things that they do in secret. Eph 5. 11

To me this means, tell what the Spirit impresses you to tell, but things that you do not know or are only rumored about do not even consider or think about. Defend truth and holiness, the rest must be avoided.

Things that have only been suggested should certainly not be thought about or imagined. They are the unconverted children of darkness and what they do is the result of their allegiances. What must be done is to bring souls to Jesus, and He will help them clean up their behavior.

This also applies to homosexuality, btw, because we are not to condemn, but avoid what we consider unholy. It is God's business to sustain and support them and convince them that they need new hearts. Our only work is not to condemn, but to help them to lean on Jesus. Once they lean on Jesus He will give them the strength and conviction that they need.

Civilly they should be respected as are all citizens under government. Because the soul that does not lean on Jesus is a very dark soul capable of all kinds of awful things, so they should not be targeted in that way. How many heterosexual men are demonic and destructive in their behavior!


There has to be a separation between church and state.

Under current translations of the Bible homosexuality is a sin. Open sin cannot be a part of the clergy's life. The bible is relatively clear about the church's role in dealing with visible sins.
We are to judge those inside the church.

But outside of the church, there should be no difference between homosexuals and all other people.

The rules of the church are for defending the body of Christ. It is impossible to have a church of Christ if Christ obeyed.

Poured Out

I poured out my complaint before Him, I showed Him my trouble.

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

Holy and Blessed God I am in trouble and I need Your help. I am trying to readjust and do what I believe You want me to do. Blessed and Holy God I ask that You will realign my reality. I am trying to do the least harm in general. I also want to I depend on You for everything and I trust in You I ask You merciful God to show me how to do the work that You want me to do. I am so glad to have a part in Your Holy plans, I pray that You will show me how to understand and glorify Your wisdom and to live and walk in the paths of Your wisdom.

Blessed Lord God You love us and give us choice because You are wise. You rule with wisdom, You created us in it and You let us live in it as well. Please teach me to understand Your will as it is written in Your word.

To the extent of your ability

We need to sit at the feet of Jesus and to actually pay attention to what is said
It is the Word which carries to us the power of God

------------------
Precepts are only cliches when you dismiss them as unimportant.

Listen to what God says, and obey to the fullest extent of your ability and despite all inconveniences.

What does it mean to sit at the feet of Jesus?

Martha, you are anxious and disturbed by many things, but one is your duty and necessity only one thing is your business and what you must seek after. Luke 10.42
--------------------------------------------
Luke 2.46 And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.
47 And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.
48 And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.
49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?
---------------------------------------------
Deut 6.4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.
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Deut 8.3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.
----------------------------------------------
1Co 7:35 And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.
----------------------------------------------

Instruments of God

The competition is between the pawns of God and the pawns of Satan

God, I pray that You will change their allegiances
So that they stand in Your army

I pray that You will quickly defeat the might of the devil as
You are the only source of power
even his breath is from You, even though he has turned it to evil

I know that You will accomplish Your purposes on earth through us all
And let others be encouraged that You accomplish Your will even through someone as ordinary as myself

I pray for the spirits of Your children

The Flesh Profiteth Nothing

John 6:63
It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.


The words are accepted and affect the life, this is evidence of the spirit. Anything accessible through the flesh is of no concern.

To be or to try

Expressing is being, not trying

By the Character of the Obedience Rendered to the Word of God

The kingdom of heaven is of a higher order than any earthly kingdom. Whether we shall have a higher position or a lower position, will not be determined by our rank, wealth, or education, but by the character of the obedience rendered to the word of God. Those who have been actuated by selfishness and human ambition, who have been striving to be greatest, who have been self-important, who have felt above confessing mistakes and errors, will have no place in the kingdom of God. Whether men will be honored as members of the royal family of God, will be determined by the manner in which they bear the test and proving of God that is brought to bear upon them in this life. Those who have not been self-denying, who have not manifested sympathy for the woes of others, who have not cultivated the precious attributes of love, who have not manifested forbearance and meekness in this life, will not be changed when Christ comes. . . .

Chapter Title: Above Earthly Kingdoms
God's Amazing Grace, page 60, paragraph 3
Ellen G. White

For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither
was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have
hid myself from him:But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine
acquaintance.We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in
company.

Ps. 55.12

Deny Yourself, Take up Your Cross, and Follow Me

At all times Jesus strove to free people from superstition and laws that were contrary to the purposes and intentions of God. (Luke 6.7 , 1 John 3.8, Matt. 16.23)

Jesus was well aware that the Pharisees were watching Him closely in order to
find an excuse to put Him to death, but He, in order to teach what was right,
did the works of His Father God even under their scrutiny because it was the
right thing to do. The pharisees were liars who were enslaving God's people
under a system of stupid and useless rules that burdened the people down so that
they could take no pleasure in worshiping God. (Lu 11:46, Matt. 23.13, Luke 6.1, Mark 2.27)

How abominable that what worked to destroy the Jews is now accepted by Christians and is now causing them to fall into the same trap. So just as the era of the Jews ended when they looked at useless rules instead of their Savior, so Chrisianity is becoming empty because people are in spiritual bondage and have no place for the Spirit of God in their hearts.

All those that want to follow God will be blessed with a way to do so, because it is the spirit that gives us our holy desires. (Matt. 5.6 )

And he said to him: Follow me. Luke 5.27

Earthly Time

How much time do I have on earth?
I would like to spend it wisely and efficiently. I would like to be of highest use possible to God. I would also like to be able to do things quickly. I am pretty convinced that my purpose is to be different and remain reasonable, and receive funding to do the will of the Lord.

Oh I forgot, I have to accept apparent wastes of time because the Lord, through His angels, is protecting me from other problems, and preventing me from something worse than what appears to be waste.
Then merciful God, How best can I fill this uncertain time with things that will be of use to You?
I will spend my time religiously, but should I also write? paint? The uncertainty of Your Will for me leaves me with confusion about how I should spend my time.
Other people have ideas, but most of them are not from You, so please show me the directions that You wish me to move in.
I have forgotten that no one knows how much time they have on earth. I will have to make a reasonable guess.