“Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!”

Jesus said He is The Way, The Truth, and The Life. (John 14:6 NASB) Does this not imply a journey, a standard, and a destination for us, all of which occur after we meet Him?

I do not find Jesus ever implying or stating clearly, “Once you know Me and what I did for you, you are good to go.” Why? Because He was not good to go! He had something to do and we do also.

Jesus said, in Mark 8:34 (NASB77)
”…If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”

The word “deny” is aparneomai Strongs G533. to deny utterly, disown, abstain: deny.

The cross of Christ was a curse that blessed us as it helped Him depart. Our cross is a blessing that helps us avoid the curse as it helps us depart.

We know Jesus, as the Son of Man, learned obedience by the things He suffered. (Hebrews 5:8)  He also learned how difficult obedience could be as the Son of Man, full of the Spirit of God. The Garden testimony proves this as He sweats as it were great drops of blood in facing His trial. He doesn’t ask to be excused once but several times, of course obediently submitting to the Fathers will and plan. (See Matthew 26: 36 – 44)

Why would we not also expect to have to learn obedience to God through the things we struggle with? Relating to Jesus as the Son of Man is not only critical but very encouraging. It is critical to eternal life and encouraging because He proved a son of man could do it!

God said to Moses in Deuteronomy 5:29 (NASB77)  ^“They have done well in all that they have spoken, Oh that they had such a heart in them, that they would fear Me, and keep all My commandments always, that it may be well with them and with their sons forever!”

So what does this have to do with purifying ourselves? Historically we have come to understand that keeping all the various laws would be impossible. This does not apply to our means of escape into eternity. We did not gather the heart of the law. That is, to love the Lord your God and your neighbor as yourself. Doing that sums up the law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:40 NASB)

Pure as He is pure? Is that possible? If we are going to see Him as He is, we must purify ourselves. 1 John 3:2-3 (NASB) “Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. ³  And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”

How do we do that? The same way He did! Remember He is The Way?

Everything we look forward to, proven after Christ’s resurrection, is the result of what He did before His resurrection!

Remember the sins that were upon Jesus, our sins? If all of our sins were laid upon Him as the sacrificial Lamb, how is it that this Lamb survived? Yes I realize He is in His resurrected form now. Still the Son of Man survived this ordeal. He gained the resurrected life we are seeking.

Remember this verse? Philippians 2:5-8 (NASB)

“Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷  but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. ⁸  Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

Note He, “emptied Himself” to come here. I believe it is clear that in order for the Son of Man to accomplish His Father’s goal, to die as our reconciler and return home, to “accomplish His departure in Jerusalem, (Luke 9:31 NASB) Jesus had to escape these earthly bonds. I believe the clear evidence of how He did so is in His specific actions. Jesus had to do the same thing to leave here as He did to get here. He emptied Himself to leave! Make no mistake this is our divine task also.

How did He empty Himself? Was it, “committing suicide by cross?” Of course not! What DID He do on the cross? What did He NOT do? There were no railing accusations, no curses, not even in those last “forsaken hours.”

Jesus accomplished His mission when He forgave us, when He emptied Himself of all earthly baggage, the offenses, the injustice, the stuff like that which is in our souls today; stuff that will never be smuggled into heaven! Never! Only hearts at peace having made peace will enter in.

Romans: 12:18 (NASB77) ^“If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.”

Hebrews 12:14 (NASB77) “Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.”

We have a mission also, one we will die for in a divine death if we can grasp the glory in Christ. It is a reconciling rescue mission. Our purity, in the fear of the Lord, will get it done.

His mission was not just to die for us. Teaching us by the power of the Holy Spirit, expressing the Father’s instructions, simplifying the law as a new husband, the former husband dying (figuratively) as Jesus satisfied the Law Himself being the last and perfect sacrifice. (see Romans 7:1-6) Jesus, ordained by His (and our) heavenly Father, pointed to the heart and Spirit of what the law was supposed to accomplish. Jesus as the Son of Man gave us a key of all keys, opening the Way, the path of righteousness, to eternity. (See Romans 5:21) It is the path He took, the key He used, to accomplish His departure! What path? What key?

While bearing the weight of our sins, (not His) He forgave us, no He went further and interceded for us! We beat Him half to death; we rejected Him, He was innocent but many called Him guilty, a fake, a false prophet, a blasphemer. He remained silent until the Word of God came to His lips.

So what did Jesus do? Jesus forgave everything we had done up to that moment. He implemented the Word of God to accomplish His departure.

Matthew 6:14 (NASB77)
 “For if you forgive men for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”

He became sin legally as the silent, the perfect Lamb led to slaughter. As good as dead by crucifixion but not yet dead, He forgives us, interceding and poof…. Like a confetti balloon, all those sins are gone!  He has purified Himself just as we can! Jesus goes and gets the keys to death, hell and the grave not as the biggest sinner (bearing our sins) but as the spotless, pure Lamb, the Son of Man our majestic Savior, the Christ!

It appears Jesus thought that once He forgave us (on the cross) He would depart immediately. Jesus cries out to God, thinking in His heart, “Why hast Thou forsaken Me?”

Do you remember this verse? John 10:17-18 (NASB77)

^” For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. ¹⁸  No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.”

Not only do we see now how Jesus through grace and intercession purified Himself of our sins, I believe this verse above explains why Jesus remained on the cross for those extra hours.

Even “forsaken” Jesus did not curse us or betray the Father’s plan. As a Spirit filled Son of Man Jesus proved WE could endure as Spirit filled sons of men. At some point in the future we may also wonder, like John the Baptist did when Jesus left him in prison, but God never really forsook Jesus. How do I know? In spite of His physical condition, the Word of God was still hidden in the Lord’s heart. Finally…. I believe the Holy Spirit brought back to Jesus His own words just as He will do for us.

Jesus was not dead yet because He had not laid down His life! Nobody was to take it. He was to lay it down! (John 10:18)

Once He did….

Luke 23:44-46 (NASB77) “And it was now about the sixth hour, and darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour, ⁴⁵  the sun being obscured; and the veil of the temple was torn in two. ⁴⁶  And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, INTO THY HANDS I COMMIT MY SPIRIT.” And having said this, He breathed His last.

Oh loved ones. Let us purify ourselves as He is pure. Let us purge ourselves of all unrighteousness. By God’s grace reigning in our lives, ruling over our conflicts through forgiveness, let us as generously grant grace after having received an abundance ourselves. Yes we must receive grace and now we know why it is far better to give than receive.

Remember Jesus granted grace, and departed successfully.

“If we remain in His grip, how far from His heart can we be!”

In the guardianship of Christ,

Michael

    Exit Strategy

   We initiate the return of Christ!  (The E-book)

Barnes and Noble, Amazon Kindle, Kobo, many others and around the world. $6.99

“Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!”

Pure as He is pure? Is that possible? It is not only possible, it is expected!

We are to be like Him. “Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. ³And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. (1 John 3: 2-3)

So how do we purify ourselves when we are already pure? Are we?

“Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, ¹⁷  comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word. 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 (NASB).

Did God and Jesus intend far more by introducing us to grace, grace as a concept versus just a gift, a priceless gift yes, never the less far more than a gift? This concept has a future intent, a “good hope” not yet achieved, according to 1 John3:2-3 above.

As God’s children, do we know of grace in terms of His experience, His use of grace, the example He set, the teachings, to adopt that grace which has drawn us to Him, that others might be drawn? “Well sure Michael, Jesus wants everybody to receive Him, to receive grace.”

What about this? Did grace enable His own departure and resurrection, proving how critical it is to us also? Remember, all of His examples of grace were of grace granted not received. That is, except for one instance, where I believe it is now clear that He received grace.

Paul said, “We are saved by grace through faith…” (Eph 2:8 NASB) Do we see the duality of grace, the grace that saves us?

We are first initially “saved” by receiving grace through believing in Jesus as our personal Savior, there after we maintain that purified, cleansed, and righteous, relationship to God as if we implement what we have learned about grace from our Lord Jesus, and He showed us primarily how to grant it!

What we now call “getting saved,” undoubtedly because Paul referred to it in that term, Paul more specifically calls it getting “reconciled” back to God in his letter to the Roman church. This verse reflects the duel use of grace.

“For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” Romans 5:10 (NASB)

Paul declares a two stage relationship to God, the initial (gift) of reconciliation and then the lifetime responsibility, under the Lordship of Jesus, to purify ourselves via the help of the Holy Spirit who brings to remembrance the Words of Jesus, and by them helps us become pure as we obediently keep our eyes, hearts and actions focused on Jesus and what He taught us; resulting in salvation, according to Paul. We remain pure which we must pursue all of our renewed lives.

“Pure as He is pure?” Yes! Why put a requirement out of our reach? Stop looking at your weaknesses and grasp His strength! He has given us everything pertaining to life and Godliness! (2 Peter 1:3 NASB)

Paul also wrote in his letter to Titus, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, [first] by the washing of regeneration, and [second] renewing of the Holy Ghost….” Titus 3:5 (KJV) [ ] added for clarity.

Phase 1, Strongs 3824 NT “Regeneration”: palingenesia, from <G3825> (palin) and <G1078> (genesis); (spiritual) rebirth (the state or the act), i.e. (figurative) spiritual renovation; specially Messianic restoration : regeneration. Webster’s renovate: to make as good as new. This is a rebirth, as new babes, sinless, cleansed, washed by the blood, purified if you will, given a new chance live our remaining lives righteously by grace.

How do we? We are still in these bodies, we have the same memories, we have carnal attitudes? We are new yet we must become new? Yes. Made pure we must remain pure by purifying ourselves daily from the muck and mire of this life. We are the restored 1967 GTO that must be maintained diligently. How do we do that, to be pure as He is pure?

Phase 2, “…renewing of the Holy Ghost ” This next stage in Titus 3:5 is different and takes place after being reborn. It is a process of making new that is an equipping of the new born, fitting him with different understanding. Why the two stages? Because we still have our flesh and our world yet to resist. We are new but our flesh does not know that!

What was once our impaired judgment becomes repaired, via new understanding provided by Jesus. The revelation of the enduring love of the kingdom is in the light of Christ’s Ways, His Truth and Light; by Jesus’ life as Paul was quoted earlier.

This phase is the saving, the purifying process, the renewing that follows and is expected after reconciliation, it is critical dare I say mandatory preparation for actual salvation. If my love can gracefully endure this world and its predicted onslaught then I win against lawlessness, I shall be saved according to Jesus. This gate is narrow. It takes preparation to pass thru.

The Holy Spirit is our guide, leading us into all truth.  So,…we first have a born again experience, then we have an educational relationship that equips us with everything pertaining to life and Godliness. This process will purify us if we adopt it in obedience to Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Yes we too will learn obedience by the things we suffer, but so did Jesus. This is not optional. Heaven and the Peaceful kingdom is inhabited by the obedient. The danger to us is, we have a will and that is what is being tested. This test has nothing to do with whether God loves us or not. HE DOES. Do we love Him? Do we fear Him?

“No, no testing…Christ died for me!” So, no race to run, no working out your salvation with fear and trembling? Yes my friend He did die for you. He died so you could have a second life/chance here, a better life, a purified life obtained by the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness; a tested life, a life that will be admissible into heaven, your next life.

You are not in heaven yet are you? Neither am I. He died for us so we could live for Him. He has made us able to do that by the renewing that we must embrace and grip as though our life depended on it. Which it does. Even His did!

Why such a grip? His return is closer than ever before. Look at the news. Shadow governments? Isn’t this a threat to the constitution! That was called treason at one time. Is a former president behind this threat by pre-planned emplacements and rule changes within the bureaucracy in the last days of his presidency? Is that treasonous? Yes it is. Those within the bureaucracy who help in this betrayal are traitors to the constitution and have violated their oaths of allegiance and secrecy. Why would they do that? Our constitution is to be cast aside by these progressive globalists. We saw evidence of that in decisions and actions so profound that we voted the bums out. The oath to protect the constitution is never abated. We hear of people attempting to unseat a fairly elected President, and that even has gained a name, a “soft” coup d’ etat? Our religious freedom is next. “Darkness is coming when no man can work.” John 9:4 NASB

Are we seeing the times we are in? How do these things and the news make you feel, a little hatred going on there maybe? Wouldn’t blame you at all but you might as well have let the devil shoot you in the head. Anger, bitterness and hatred are his weapons. You are dead already until you repent and intercede for the souls of your enemies from your heart. You protect yourself by doing so, just as Jesus did.

Is it hopeless? Maybe, if this world’s restoration is our goal. On the other hand if heaven is our goal…? If we are in the beginning of a reprieve we had better make it count! Souls are filled with hatred and death. Some of them are us.

Remember the crucifixion of Christ helped Him accomplish His departure! Luke 9:31, ACCOMPLISH? Yes!

General Patton told the Airborne troops before D-Day, “Forget about home, consider yourselves dead already…”

As we see the darkness closing in, we again are on the verge of one of the greatest battles in history. A battle fought by grace and love to spare as many as possible from a death force God Himself will unleash upon the stumbling blocks within mankind’s number. (Matthew 13:41, 18:7)

We are responsible to wash ourselves so our identity is seen and our deliverance is sure whenever it takes place.

Do I have a blessed hope? Yes I do. Do I hope for that which I possess? No I hope for that which I expect in faith as I “pursue peace with all men and the sanctification, without which NO ONE will see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14-15 NASB) By this I purify myself as He is pure.

“That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:7 (KJV) We “should be made heirs” but will we be? Grace is God’s by-directional, two sided coin of the realm that justifies us.

Now reconciled to God, I am justified in life because of the grace I grant! As I grant grace, God is faithful to grant me more grace. As I forgive, He forgives me. That is the concept, the Good News. You simply have to obey the rule. You get what you give, from God. He has entrusted grace to His children, to purify His children and hopefully others.

We receive grace as a debtor, we grant it as a favored child of the King.

Speaking of purified, was Jesus ever not pure?  BLASPHEMY!!! Really? Don’t be so sure! It is actually GLORIOUS! He does show us the Way to be pure doesn’t He? How better to show us than from His greatest moment of weakness.  Experience is a hard teacher for Him as well as those who seek to follow Him.

I love the Lord and He loves me. By His mercy and grace I will praise Him forever.

See  “Pure as He is pure? Is that possible?” Part 2

“If we remain in His grip, how far from His heart can we be!”

In the guardianship of Christ,

Michael

    Exit Strategy

   We initiate the return of Christ!  (The E-book)

Barnes and Noble, Amazon Kindle, Kobo, many others and around the world. $6.99

“Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!”

So, government is the hand of God?

“Love does no wrong to his neighbor.” (Romans 10:13 NASB) If wrong is defined by both the victim and the perpetrator then wrong is subjective not objective. It is skewed, slanted, biased and therefore not defined at all because objectivity is the goal so both parties are subject to it and therefore “fair” being unbiased or prejudiced. This is one reason why government is the hand of God.

Definitions of wrong and right were meant to be standardized to resolve conflict. God gave Moses those definitions. Later on, because man had confused some of those instructions, through Jesus of Nazareth, God gave clarification to help mankind get back on track. One may not believe in God but the objectivity of the rules He has made known to us certainly reveal His entity and identity.

Mankind seldom is objective on his own. We had a need for help because our judgment was impaired. God knew from Adam and Eve that our judgment needed to be repaired. So, again He spoke through a man and then through men, and then through an uncountable number of people. Today in your hearing, He is speaking again.

So, again how can we know “Government is the hand of God?”

I have heard it said on TV and not just FOX that the enemy has a theocratic government and the religion of this theocracy believes an unyielding unbeliever must die. There is an implied opposition to a theocracy also. Yet for the most part, as a nation, we embrace the phrase, “In God we trust.”

So who is defining wrong today? Our enemies are for sure. Are we as a nation or have those definitions become subjective? There is a world wide fight over those definitions. It is not for territory. It is over definitions of wrong. Subjective definitions embolden one party against another.

To fight the fight we must fight, as a nation, we must now re-declare, from the top, an allegiance to the God that we as a nation recognize. The pilgrims knew Him. Our Founding Fathers knew Him. We however previously elected a man who does not know Him. He and Leaders before him had agendas that excluded God or included Him only as a mask of acceptability.

The last administration, renounced God as our nations one and only God. “We are not a Christian nation, … not just. We are Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, ….” (Barack Obama) Each of those religions have there own definitions of wrong! That puts our nation in submission to a subjective, skewed, or biased, a prejudiced set of definitions. This opens America up to criticism and makes us a target of those who are more zealous of their definitions (of wrong) which foment aggressive acts endorsed by other aspects of their belief system. Man is fighting one wrong over another, claiming divine authority. America has renounced divine authority in separating God from State.

Fighting fire with fire, we must now take or more correctly re-take a Theocratic position also. This is the only stance our enemies understand. It is their language, so to speak. Don’t we know from history that their god has been defeated over the centuries by our God? They know that, but we have forsaken our God, proving to them that their “wrongs” are right. As relatives of Esau this is their unavoidable quandary.

“In God we trust.” Now that is a Theocratic stance. Our conflict is religious at heart, within and without. I suppose they feel they will be run over by us, “the great Satan,” so they, the militants, are taking the offensive.

The other (non-militant) Muslim’s can afford to wait and see how it all shakes down, they win either way. Their religion hates our nation’s immorality. They should. God does also. Yes, our God. “Well, many in America do not believe in God and want to choose their own way.”  So, THEY are to set the course of our nation??? Are we doomed or what?

WAKE UP FOLKS, they already have!!! “Well yeah Mike but we just defeated the unbelievers.”  Did we now?

Let’s get down to it as we are “flash banged” by the evening news.

The election of Donald Trump was a reprieve from a more immediate destruction. We seem to be waking up as a nation, or are we?

The government might return to its proper stance “under God” if the government and churches as real followers of Jesus of Nazareth will stand firm in the renewing process we so desperately need. We can not just walk this out. We need to run like crazy toward our forsaken homestead and the Father that is waiting. We are a prodigal nation!

Think of this. Government is a minister of God for good. That is a quote! “… for it [government] is a minister of God to you for good. (Romans 13:4A NASB) [added for clarity]

“… for conscience sake…” (Romans 13:5) Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection for conscience’ sake. Wrath is also a concern. (Romans 13:4B)

A ministry of God? Be in subjection to it? For conscience sake or else wrath is coming? Sounds like we better have the right government if we are to obey it and God! It better be a righteous government, otherwise we mourn!

“But Mike, there have been terrible governments in the world, horrific leaders that took people into hell via death and carnage; including ours!”  Oh Yes. If they could be led astray they were. If they could be victimized, they were. If retribution was their plight, God ordained it, even if God used them as enemies to trouble, to herd His children back to Him. Those straying nations were personified by the governments they chose, until it was too late. Judgment came. The Hebrews experienced this also.

After a heated discussion recently I conclude that the legislation of moral principles is an extension of God’s already established principles. Authority (government) has an obligation to serve the One who grants that authority. It is not man voting who grants it. Voting simply reveals the heart of a man or his nation. God goes from there according to our choice.

“Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.” (Romans 13:1 NASB)

Will God allow us to choose the unrighteous to lead us? Yes He will and He will use that government to trouble us back to a righteous choice.

Now get this. God just declared Mr. Trump as the right choice. It took trouble for us to do it but He did so with the election of President Trump, his policies and the RNC platform. It is pro God, pro-life, anti-threats, anti-globalism, (which would kill millions or billions if given the chance), pro-nationalism, (again an anti-globalist position), pro-America and it keeps going.

This is why the Word says, “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.” Proverbs 29:2 (KJV) Rejoice why, because righteousness is good. In a righteous atmosphere all will be treated according to their own choices, choices governed or potentially influenced by the rules established by the government; as well as religious establishments.

There can never be any successful separation of God and state! By the righteous governance our nation can be looked upon with favor by God, by following His rules. Other religions can be here but One must be declared allegiance to as a nation for wrongs to be uniformly understood.

Paul writes, ^“for it [government] is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it [government] does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.” (Romans 13:4 (NASB) Yes folks, that is government according to Paul.

So what about government? “Thou shall not kill (murder)!” (Exodus 20:13 ASV) Any government or person that kills unrighteously is an enemy of God. If government supports unrighteous policy like abortion, it is an enemy of God, as is the nation that elected it. If it supports or promotes a life-style that God speaks against, it is an enemy of God, by encouraging a separation from Godly ways, by redefining “wrong.” If man and his ungodly wishes move the hand of government instead of God, that government is an enemy of God, as well as that nation and its majority. The enemy of God is unrighteousness in whatever form it takes. God defines unrighteousness by defining righteousness! God provides grace to the repentant, be it a person or a nation!

Seeking righteousness, insisting on righteousness, willing righteousness into our government as well as our own heart is the only way to have God as our ally. This is why I posted “Eve of Destruction 1 & 2.” There is no lasting future for America if we do not will righteousness back into our system of government. Without it we are an enemy nation of God, a prodigal, dead to his father. We can however come to our senses and run, not walk, home!

Without an obvious pursuit of righteousness our enemy thinks they are serving God by destroying us. Jesus said, “They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God. These things they will do because they have not known the Father or Me. But these things I have spoken to you, so that when their hour comes, you may remember that I told you of them. These things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you.” (John 16:2-4 (NASB)

This conflict has always been. It is between Jacob’s and Esau’s. Only the righteousness of God wins. This is a religious conflict between two beliefs and it distracts from another darker agenda that is meant to doom both our religion and our individual countries. This agenda will attempt to eliminate the “conflict of the ages” by bring all religions into a one world religion. While we weaken ourselves in conflict and societal turmoil this other foe named “Globalism” watches, hoping we will destroy each other. Yes and we may if we do not heed the warning and the reprieve we have been granted.

Of all the times for Russia and America to be better friends, it is NOW. In spite of the past leadership of either country, at heart, we are both Christian nations. The days of total atheism are gone in Russia. Believers are everywhere. Like in America, some believers are not very strong but then many are. Israel also is more Christian than we know and even if it were not so, God says to watch out over her in His name anyway.

The men in power right now, if they truly believe the scriptures, will dance around but will not attack or forsake Israel. Our countries need each other to stand against globalism. Each government is the hand of God in service in each of their nations. Be it for good or for evil is up to them. God will win either way. The fear of one nation of another can be assuaged via God.

Americans look at President Trump, some with unwarranted or even fabricated outrage and many others with a new hope. In this I think about a lowly donkey and how precious that donkey was to Balaam, after he saved Balaam’s life. Read Numbers 22: 22-35. What a great story. Our nation has been hell bent for destruction. Maybe you will see the honoring similarity.

As a patriot, President Trump is trying to save us as he tries to save America. Are some of us so blind that like Balaam we do not see it? Are we beating the donkey that is trying to protect us? Yes in fact some are.

If God is for Mr. Trump, who can be against him? How many years has it been since a politician has lifted up God as our protector? Surely government IS meant to be the ministry of God for our good, scripture says so. We must choose righteousness for that to happen pleasantly. We must support righteous biblical standards which must be legislated by government as a reflection of a people that see God as a guard rail between our nation and the chasm of unrighteous destruction. God’s definitions of right and wrong benefit all who embrace them. There is no successful government without God, no successful nation without a Godly government.

“If we remain in His grip, how far from His heart can we be!”

In the guardianship of Christ,

Michael

    Exit Strategy

   We initiate the return of Christ!  (The E-book)

Barnes and Noble, Amazon Kindle, Kobo, many others and around the world. $6.99

“Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!”

“Stop catching the ball!” I said to Janis

Rejection is a powerful force. In the counseling business we say “Rejection rejects” as an explanation to an ongoing cycle of un-reconciled relationships. Somewhere along the line one person or the other in the relationship must stop rejecting or receiving rejection. This person effectively breaks up the play (of the enemy spirit) because they, “Stop catching the ball!” as we also say.

Foe many years my wife dealt with rejection from her dad. He was a good man with a poor habit of joking or criticizing at the expense of others. Janis would come home from visiting him in tears or feeling rejection. She loved her dad and prayed for him but this hurt occurred every time she would visit him, and frequently because her mom and dad lived near by.

“Stop catching the ball Janis.” “Break up the play.” “Down over.” You can end this if you want to and by forgiving at the same time you protect yourself and maybe your dad also. The analogy worked. She understood.

The next time she saw him, her response to his provocation was “Oh daddy…I love you.”

Low and behold, in a short time, the jokes and ridicule stopped! Something her dad had done for years stopped. Game over!

A friend in church who knew Janis’ dad suggested she write a “love letter” to her dad. “I don’t know what I would say!” was her response. “Think of something good you remember him doing and thank him for it.” Janis pondered this for some time but took it to heart. “The beach!” was the answer to her heartfelt search. Her dad took the family to the beach now and then. He was a dairy farmer so time off was rare. Then she also remembered him taking her with him to others farms. He would buy her an ice cream. This was it! Not just one thing but two! She wrote her letter of appreciation and love.

“Let’s have lunch! Your mom does not like Chinese but I do will you have lunch with me?” “What will I talk about?” she asked me with great apprehension. “Whatever he is interested in!” was the answer that came to her mind. She went and had a great lunch experience with him. Oh how happy she was.

Howard began to change. A loving and gentle spirit came over him. I saw this happen myself and how beautiful their relationship became.

I too benefited from “Pop” changing. One year I received a pair of socks from Pop for Christmas. OK I hear you saying, Oh great… a pair of socks. I bet you knew what they were before you unwrapped them!” Well yes I did in fact. However, they were the best and greatest gift that I had ever received. “What?” you say? Oh yes no doubt about it. “How so?”

Attached to the flimsy wrapped package was a tag addressed to me. It said and I quote, “A father can only hope his son-in-law will fully appreciate, treasure and keep his daughter as happy as possible in their life together!  Thanks Michael, Pop W.”

Do I have to tell you what this meant to me? Thank You Lord!

We cannot know the effects our obedience can cause until we obey! We cannot know the power of God’s instructions until we obey them. We cannot rise above our troubles until we look down upon them from His point of view.  Ephesians 2:6 says we have been raised up with Christ “and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” We can see as Christ sees, if we choose to.

In moving I lost the scrap of paper Pop’s note was written on. I searched and searched. I was grieved at losing the evidence and most precious treasure and compliment Howard ever paid me.

Pop died a few years later, as did Janis’ mom a few years after that. As it turned out, my precious and beloved Janis also passed away.  I had to go through “millions” of pieces of paper and files unending that belonged to mom and pop, before I could dispose of them.

I found a shirt box with memorabilia from pop’s funeral. I again leafed through each paper inside the box. Then I found it! I could not believe it! I read it and sure enough there it was! Mom Wilson had saved it!! I had found the original scrap of paper, Pop’s original draft of the note I had lost!!!! It even had lines around it so Pop would know the size he had to fit the text into! Thank you God, thank You, thank You, thank You!  I jumped up and down I was so excited! A million pieces of paper in a half a million files and I found THIS one piece of paper?  My God is faithful. In my loss…I found precious encouragement…a reminder of a relationship and the heart of a changed man.

We choose what we keep in our hearts.

“If we remain in His grip, how far from His heart can we be!”

In the guardianship of Christ,

Michael

    Exit Strategy

   We initiate the return of Christ!  (The E-book)

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“Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!”

What should your reaction be?

This post is from February 9th 2015.  Many have lost a loved one and this time of year this season of joy is often diminished by the loss of our loved one.

This post looks at an other point of view. For me, in the midst of my loss, the clarity enhanced my relationship with God deeply and my chances of ever seeing Janis again. Someday you might lose a precious one. Maybe you want to read this.

In Matthew 24:3-23, Jesus speaks of the trials followers can expect to go through. These are frightening things, threatening things, deceiving things. He says we will be hated by all nations because of Him. In fact it is His love, His Way of loving, that we are to maintain, enduring to be saved.

In verse Matthew 24:10 it says, “And at that time many will fall away…” (to fall away you must have believed at some point, Paul says “reconciled” in Romans 5:10. We say “saved” Look it up.)
In verse 24: 12-13 it says, “And because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, he shall be saved.”

If love growing cold is a lethal problem for us, saving enduring love must be our goal. Only we can prepare ourselves to (lovingly) endure. Paul spoke “I press on toward the goal of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:14)

An effort must be made on our part. God is calling to us through Christ Jesus. Paul’s understanding certainly did not consider it works. He saw himself as responding, obeying and in obeying he “pressed on.”

After years and thousands of people around the world praying faithfully for the healing of my Godly wife Janis, God says to me, “I want her with me.” Within hours, she departed. What about all those prayers, those promises? What should my reaction be? Maybe He wanted to see? Not so He would know but so I would know!

We shudder as we ask ourselves if we can endure the terrible forecasts of Christ? We have trouble enduring the evening news without a curse if not from our lips, it may be hidden in our hearts! Woe, woe, woe unto us. Lord please help us.

I know God did not kill my Janis. Still in a meaningful comparison, God did to me,…..exactly what our persecutors might have done, He took the love of my life away from me. What should my reaction be?

Everything we are seeing in life that provokes us to anger or unforgiveness can be used in the plot of the enemy to capture us.

By provoking us WE violate the Word of God, we defeat ourselves. What Word? Probably several scriptures but one in particular.“For if you forgive men for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.” Matthew 6:14 NASB

Is it possible this Word set Jesus free of our sins before He actually died and will it set us free also before we actually die? What should my reaction be?

My reaction toward my persecutors must reflect my reaction toward God over the loss of my sweetheart. “Thy will be done Lord.” I knew, about Janis, what I would have needed to know had we fallen prey to some persecutors of our faith. “Oh death where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” God’s protective desire, His living will rests within this truth.

How could I be angry with God who gave Janis to me to begin with? I have thanked Him in sobbing tears for His receiving her into His care. I have thanked Him over and over for a love that was beyond my imagination, tearfully missing her. But that is God!

So what should my (our) reaction be to a persecutor? Have I trained myself or am I training myself to accept God’s will in that case? Will I be light to him? By God’s grace in that case, I will see Janis again and be with her forever.

A persecutor will go to hell forever unless he sees the light. How can I endure losing my sweetheart to God in total acceptance of His will and not obey His will that I intercede for those who might kill me?

Do I know what Jesus knew? Am I convinced that they cannot really kill me, in the same way that Christ and Janis still live in eternity?

God desires that none should perish. He means eternally! We must desire that none shall perish eternally! Christ desired that we not perish eternally. He forgave us and interceded for us! They have no chance unless they see the light, our light, even as we perish, if God wills.

What will my reaction be? It would be good for me to know ahead of time. Way ahead of time. Lord help us all.

“If we remain in His grip, how far from His heart can we be!”

In the guardianship of Christ,

Michael

    Exit Strategy

   We initiate the return of Christ!  (The E-book)

Barnes and Noble, Amazon Kindle, Kobo, many others and around the world. $6.99

“Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!”

A few days ago in prayer, the passages in Esther chapters 3 and 9, the events of “Purim,” came to my attention. I had turned to it randomly. A day or so earlier I had heard news of an attempt at a UN resolution against Israel, with USA support?

Do we not know, evil does not go away because of the outcome of an election? If anything evil flails away in its wounded pain, in its rejection, its heart born darkness empowering it with a pathetic but powerful hope of survival. Its head must be bruised and it will be. Until then, our rejection of it is the righteous judgment that will judge us.

It has been several more days since then. With nothing particular in mind this morning in prayer I asked the Lord for His input as I usually do. This is what came to mind.

“Do not say in your heart, ‘We are not in power yet!’ for you have always been in power as I am in power; you have not exerted power and authority. Your enemies use a dagger to slay. You have a two edged sword with which you capture and defeat. As out of My mouth comes the sword, out of your mouth it must come. My sword is your sword, Today I remind the world, including Russia, of “Purim” and the disastrous conclusion of those who plotted the destruction of My people the Jews. Reject, reject, reject the resolutions exerting power, of demands upon Israel; heed the warning of the God of Israel, the God some of you claim to embrace. You can read of My faithfulness toward this land and people even in the rebellion they have walked in. Do not count their rebelliousness as a license for you to dominate or capture. Yes they will be judged as all men will be, but not by you. For My names sake, (Yahweh, “salvation”) I will be patient until the time comes, for I am salvation first, destruction is of your own doing.”

Darkness does not go away. It is overcome by Light until it is sent away by The Light.

Lord I pray hearts around the world, nations who have influence, will heed Your instruction with reverence toward Israel lest they find themselves again on the eve of destruction.

“If we remain in His grip, how far from His heart can we be!”

In the guardianship of Christ,

Michael

    Exit Strategy

   We initiate the return of Christ!  (The E-book)

Barnes and Noble, Amazon Kindle, Kobo, many others and around the world. $6.99

“Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!”

This is the first post I have done in many weeks. We all have our stuff we are dealing with and I have had mine. Like you I have been marinated in the political upheaval that has brought our nation to the precipice.

There was a time when moral factors did not play a part in elections because both parties were moral. Back then it was about spending or foreign policy or about how much we “liked” the candidate. We could not be further from that at this point in our evolution as a nation. We were not supposed to get to this point but we have. But then I wonder. God does say things that look like this will happen just before He comes.

Voting for who we dislike the least is insanity albeit the only recourse we have presented ourselves with! Yes we chose these opponents. Well, some of us chose one and some the other. The fact is we have created this quagmire, this dilemma of disaster.

So, are we “Cubbies” or are we “Indians”?  Is this the way we see ourselves at this point? How narrow and naïve are we? This is no ball game.

Much of the nation voted and or supported a black man once he was elected, in many cases because he was black, hoping that the racial remains of our history would finally be put to rest. “Yes my fellow black Americans, I am the proof, you can make to the top of the mountain. I had a dream, and I made it!” Instead, another agenda was in play and where has it taken us?

Sure we had hopes but where have we ended up? We are more divided than before. Our economy is in twice the debt we had. Millions are not working. Our enemies are crossing the thresholds of our land with God knows what in mind. They are being welcomed by an administration with ulterior motives. A house divided will surely fall. A system corrupted will crash. When division and corruption are obvious how can we deny the existence of a hidden agenda.

OK I have had my say about that. We (party’s) are more alike than we admit. Some of us are choosing to look passed a candidate’s uncouth language and recorded trash talk. Some are choosing to look past years of lies and manipulation with open evidence of self benefit. Which is worse? We both know the answer but are in denial so to speak.

So, how does one make a choice that leaves one with a sense of personal break-through or clarity of conscience? Who do I vote for if I have not voted already?

Here’s the Way. If you are not a Christian, you are not likely to be reading this. You might however still identify with one side because of this one factor that cannot win against your conscious. On the other hand, if you call yourself a Christian, it is sure that you should be responding to your conscience, the touching of your soul by God, and for this reason alone, you are choosing a certain candidate and party.

I am an ordained minister, a missionary to Russia in past years, a Christian who has studied the Word for 35 years, I have shared my testimony on radio and television, I have even written a little and yes….I know what I am saying when I say, “You are NOT a follower of Jesus Christ if you vote for a party that supports abortion, let alone partial birth abortion.

Imagine Christ pulling a full grown baby almost all the way out of the mother’s womb, except for the head, and then He sticks a probe or forceps into the back of the baby’s neck just below the skull, in order to kill the child! Imagine Him turning to you with a smile of accomplishment on His face?  Well “follower” can you imagine that? OF COURSE NOT!  What if I said, imagine the devil doing that? Oh well maybe that is different. Oh sure.

DO NOT VOTE FOR THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY and expect to go to heaven. Their candidate fully supports abortions, especially Partial Birth Abortions! What if you die on the way home from voting? Do you really expect God to approve of your choices? Eternity in hell waits because years of increased lawlessness will come with the candidate you voted for. Even if they lose, you chose poorly. You chose infanticide.

“Now you’ve gone too far Michael.” Oh really? The blood of babies across this land will be on the heads of pastors who have not said it as plainly as I just did. Many readers will be asking me to delete them from the mailing list. So.. dear friend what does that say about your Christianity?  You know I am right. “Am I not your friend because I tell you the truth?” I am trying to keep you from being deleted from God’s mailing list, the book of life.

The destruction of this nation for its embracing of liberal policies is sure and certain. Short of repentance, did you know that the majority of mankind world-wide is going to hell and this is so because of their choices? We MUST choose well! That’s not so hard to grasp. Haven’t we really known that? If we reject His Ways for our ways. We’re done whether it is personally or as a nation. We are watching it happen.

One thing the Republican’s have failed to lift up is the biblical truth behind our nation’s downfall. They do not realize the power of influence when it is God’s instructions and not a man. Their fear of offending someone has and will kill many.

Our nations only hope and defense is to stand with biblical Christ spoken Ways, without shame or fear. We must pray for our opponents salvation, insuring our own. We are on the eve of destruction. Maybe we could be spared for a while. (Written pre-election.)

Since the politicians will not stand, WE THE PEOPLE MUST! We must stand in the voting both and vote like Jesus Christ is standing there with us.

God sets people in authority. If the Democratic candidate is elected, the doom of America is more sure than ever before. NOT BECAUSE THEY ARE CALLED DEMOCRATS! It is because of what they believe; their anti-God policies. Their election is a sign that God is allowing our downfall as the unrighteous are picked to remain in power. He will allow it because we choose it and actually it fits His plan for the end.

We are on the eve of destruction and I am not so sure the Republican candidate can stop it even if he is elected. Maybe we will get a reprieve,and there is a Godly man is in the VP slot to help.

Are you going to be leaving with the “stumbling blocks” when the angels suddenly show up to remove you? Jesus said, “The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that cause stumbling and them that do iniquity, ⁴²and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 13:41.

When written, this message was meant to spare you. Your vote has far reaching effect. It was election eve. Are you on the eve of destruction? Trump came and succeeded, truly a reprieve, then, barring any truth to election cheating, a nation chose darkness. Now you are seeing the destruction I foretold almost five years ago, a helter-skelter effort to dismantle any good that was done by Trump and conservatives, a guise for destroying America. God is allowing it because the nation (apparently) chose it. What does that say about where we are in the biblical time line, if….. you even know what it says? How many times did Israel go their own way to there own destruction? God is the same today, yesterday and forever.”

“If we remain in His grip, how far from His heart can we be!”

In the guardianship of Christ,

Michael

    Exit Strategy

   We initiate the return of Christ!  (The E-book)

Barnes and Noble, Amazon Kindle, Kobo, many others and around the world. $12.99