Financial Wisdom (9/27/10)

Shalom,

 

    Please begin by reading 1 Tim 6:3-10.

 

    Usually people think it's just fine for a preacher to talk about sin or about troubling social issues.  But when it comes to talking about money or financial things, that's considered meddling.  Well, because money is such an important issue in our world and society, Christians need to be well-versed in what the Bible tells us about the way we handle and use it.

    A major mistake many people have made over the years is that they keep their theological beliefs on one side and their money on the other.  They falsely separate these two without considering that our Lord gave us specific instructions about the "money" issue.  They say, "Don't mix God and MY money."  Well, you can't have a truly good and right financial situation without our Lord's involvement in the way you deal with money.

    Satan has convinced many people to say, "Don't talk about money, all churches and preachers want is money."  That's absolutely not true.  Our failure to talk about this subject, and especially to teach our people sound biblical principles for handling their money, has caused many Christians to be in a financial crisis.  You can't ignore Yahweh in any area of your life without painful consequences.  You can't talk about Yahweh without considering what he wants you to do with your money.  There are over 2000 verses in the Bible concerning money and how we're supposed to handle it.

    Every day of your life, you're dependent on money in some way.  You can't separate your heavenly Father from your money because he's meant to be part of every detail of your everyday life.  He expects to be involved in all the decisions of our lives, even the monetary ones.  I want you to consider your relationship with Jesus based on what the Bible says about how we should handle our finances.  Does your financial situation match up well with the handbook for right living?

 

    What is the right view about our finances?  Many people refuse to consider what Yahweh has told us about money.  Many people refuse to let their heavenly Father guide and bless them in their finances.  Our loving heavenly Father has given us instructions for every aspect of our lives.  Is it sensible to seek his guidance in every other area, but then insist we can handle our money by ourselves?

    If you're ignorant of Yahweh's principles, that can be excused to a certain extent.  But if you know his Word and then choose to ignore his directions you're living in deliberate rebellion and sin.  If we follow his principles we'll be blessed.  If we violate them we'll face consequences based on our disobedience, or as the Bible states, we've chosen the curses.  This is an area where we really need to follow the exhortation of 2 Tim 2:15.  "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth."

    There are three basic scriptural financial principles.  If you follow these you'll gain godly wisdom and be blessed in handling your finances.  I'm sure you can find other teachings which will present these in different numbers and styles.  But trust me, right handling of your finances matters, so seek your Lord and obey his guidance.

 

    1) Financial wisdom involves the right view of the ownership of "my" possessions.  Yahweh owns everything, absolutely everything.  That's the basic foundation of all financial matters.

    Psalm 24:1.  "The earth is Yahweh's, and everything in it, the world, and who live in it."

    Deut 8:18.  "Remember Yahweh your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth."

    Every square inch of dirt, every drop of water, every molecule of air, everything belongs to our Creator.  When we deny that and say anything is "ours," we violate the most basic and foundational principle of financial wisdom.  We must know and believe and act accordingly - because Yahweh owns it all.

    Every single thing that's on this earth belongs to Yahweh.  He's made us stewards.  We're all money managers for God.  We all make purchases to feed, clothe, and house ourselves and our families.  We all make decisions about supporting ministries who offer the Gospel to the lost and needy in our world.

    So he owns it and we manage it.  As a person responsible to manage money and goods, as a worker for the Master, we must make decisions based on what the owner has instucted us to do.  And to make these right decisions we need to know what his advice to us is through knowing his Word.

    If I ignore the owner and say what I have is mine - because my name's on the deed, check, or whatever - then I'm saying, "I'm going to ignore the rightful owner and I'll do things my way."  The problem with this is that Yahweh is perfect and I'm not.  If I insist on doing things my way, then I'll make mistakes because I'm not using his guidebook or seeking his perfect instructions.

    People inside our churches say, "I would tithe, but I can't.  I don't have money to give to the church because of my bills."  Would Yahweh tell you to take money designated for him and allow you to spend it on something else?  I think we all know the answer is NO!  We get in trouble by spending on our desires without asking Yahweh if it's right for us.  We fail to recognize the source of all we have.  When stewards begin to act like owners they always get themselves into trouble.  Please remember that all you have actually belongs to your Creator.

 

    2) Financial wisdom also involves the proper view of the acquisition of wealth.  Worldly-minded people will lie, cheat, and steal to get "just a little bit more".

    In our society people take handouts from our government without doing any work to earn it.  Easy money is what too many of these people are after.  Look at gambling and lotteries, much of it government sanctioned.  They're totally against the scriptures, but many look for the "quick fix" that they believe will overcome all their financial problems.

    According to the Bible, you get money by working for it.  It seems that working for a living is the most unpopular way to make money in America right now.  2 Thes 3:10 points out something many people need to see and respond to.  "If a man will not work, he shall not eat."  Notice it says WILL NOT work.  It doesn't say can't work.  The Bible clearly tells us to care for those who can't work.  But those who refuse to work aren't to be given handouts.  Our government is excessive in the way it deals with this issue.  The Church needs to let it be known that there's a better way.

    The Bible advises us to make money by investing.  If we don't make a lot of money, we tend to think we don't have to obey this instruction.  But investing can be done on any income. Setting aside savings and investments to help us in times of emergency is clearly seen in Prov 6:6-11.  I'll let you look it up yourself.

    Saving can be a very good way to acquire wealth.  You can do it $1 at a time.  Look at the long term, don't give into the worldview that you have to have all the best stuff right now.  Yahweh promised we'd have enough to get our "needs" met, not our "greeds" met.  Yahweh doesn't want us to go needy.  It's a bad witness when we're not trusting our finances to our heavenly Father, especially when we're carrying an excessive amount of debt.

 

    3) Financial wisdom involves the right view of how we use our finances.  Within the Bible, our Creator's instruction book for life, we find all the guidance we need.  So we need to follow those instructions if we expect financial peace.  We should make all our financial decisions based on our Father's instructions.

    We should give to support Kingdom ministries.  It's a command.  Take care of the needs of those who work within the Church to expand Yahweh's Kingdom.  He promises to protect and bless what we have if we do this.  Check out Mal 3:10-11.  Tithing of our firstfruits is Yahweh's plan, Yahweh's principle.  Whether you believe tithing is necessary or not doesn't matter.  It's our Creator's principle and we need to obediently serve him.

    We're instructed to meet needs with our finances.  It's the will of our Lord God Almighty that our needs be met.  This begins at home, and according to scripture the head of the household is responsible.  1 Tim 5:8 says, "If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever."

    We're instructed to meet the Spirit-directed goals we're aware of.  Things like education, home, business, career.  Trust in your Lord's guidance to manage these important issues.

    We're instructed to give to those who have real needs.  We already saw that we shouldn't care for those who are lazy and won't work.  But people truly in need should be blessed by our giving.  Prov 19:17 says, "He who is kind to the poor lends to Yahweh, and he will reward him for what he has done."

    We're even allowed to meet some of our desires with our finances.  Be careful with this and don't ever make this your number one priority.  Actually, don't make it anything but the last item on your priority list.  Yahweh will meet the desires of our hearts when we're obedient and faithful.  Read Psalm 37:4-6.  But know that these desires will be in tune with our Father's desires.  Our selfish desires disappear when we truly seek and serve our Lord.

 

    Don't be guilty of asking, "How little can I give without offending Yahweh?"  Trust him to be faithful to his Word.  Remember these three steps, and you'll handle your money well.  First, Yahweh owns it all, and we're only stewards of what we have.  Second, acquire and build your wealth in a godly manner.  Third, use your finances according to Yahweh's instructions in the Bible.

    If you get caught up in the worldy mindset of money please remember this from Prov 27:23-24.  "Give careful attention to your herds; for riches do not endure forever."  Your money will only last as long as you do.  When you die you'll be living off the amount of the heavenly riches you stored up, not the earthly ones.

    Financial wisdom requires that we have right priorities and manage what Yahweh has given us according to his principles.  Money can't buy peace or love or joy, it can only bring temporary satisfaction.  Don't be controlled by your money, control it in a godly manner.

 

    Blessings & Peace,    Mike

Tabernacles: The Feast of Unity‏

Shalom,

 

    Please begin by reading Lev 23:39-43.

 

    In the Feast of Tabernacles we're given a beautiful picture of the unity of the saints.  This is one of the three high feasts where all Israelites must leave their homes and livelihoods to assemble together in Jerusalem.  For 7 days they were to dwell along the streets and highways, living in little booths which they constructed of branches from citrus, palm, myrtle, and willow trees.  It was a time to celebrate the reaping of grapes and olives and fall grains, and to be united in worshiping the Lord God Almighty.

    They didn't need to fear for the property they left behind because Yahweh promised to protect it.  Their only safeguard was found in obeying the command of the Lord.  We need to gain some understanding here as well.  We Christians are so divided and sectarian, worried and fearful about protecting our little plots of land - or "our" people.  Our only safeguard is found in obedience to our Lord and a willingness to follow his chosen path.  Yahweh is firmly knitting together the Body of Christ right now.  The Holy Spirit is forming a vital, living Church of Jesus Christ right now.

    Yahweh will look after our property.  He'll care for everything that's good and right about our communities of faith.  We all have too many pet doctrines, "our" personal theological theories, "our" churches, "our" opinions, "our" ambitions.  If any of these are of Yahweh, he'll preserve them for us.  If not, why are we so concerned about maintaining any of them?

    If any individual or group is unwilling to recognize the Holy Spirit as the life of the Body of Christ and his ministry as the movements of that Body, then a "sect" is born.  The word sect means an opinion, sentiment, or party.  And it's not necessary to be a religious system to become a sect.  Many sects loudly denounce organized religious systems, but they're probably the most sectarian groups out there.  To be a member of a sect all you have to do is refuse to recognize the ministries which Yahweh is raising and setting up.  To be non-sectarian is more than removing yourself from the denominational systems.  We must become vital parts and members of the Body of Christ, functioning according to the power of the Holy Spirit and abiding in the place Yahweh sets forth for each and every one of us.

 

    The root of the word sukkot, Hebrew for Tabernacles, is to be intertwined.  Good fellowships of believers aren't loosely connected together, they become intertwined because of intimate contact with our loving Father.  The four types of branches used to build the booths represented the bringing together of different types or kinds of people into the fellowship of Yahweh.  The rabbis came up with this picture of the coming together of the nation of Israel during the Feast of Tabernacles.  The citrus has a pleasing scent and good tasting fruit.  This represents those with knowledge of the Torah who also obediently walk out their faith.  The palm (date palm) has tasty fruit, but no scent.  This represents those with knowledge, but weak in obeying Yahweh's Word.  The myrtle has a nice scent, but no fruit.  These are those who try to obey without a working knowledge of the Torah.  Lastly is the willow which has neither a good scent nor pleasing fruit.  These are those without knowledge or obedience.  And Yahweh wants all types brought together.  We should seek this kind of gathering to encourage the weak and reach the ignorant.

    It's amazing how unbelieving a "believer" can be.  To deny that Yahweh can have a Body functioning in the absolute unity of the Holy Spirit is to call Jesus a liar and the Bible a false witness.  We can all be in our proper place, working together as one harmonious whole.  Most likely, the reason we refuse to believe this could happen is because we've never seen it in our lifetimes or even the history of the Church.  The story of strife and corruption is recorded in Yahweh's Word to show us how to avoid this level of disobedience.  1 Cor 10:16 says, "These things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did."  The Church's long and bitter history of disunity and strife deosn't prove that Yahweh's Word isn't true.  It just proves human sinfulness.  If Yahweh said it, it's going to come to pass.  If Jesus prayed it (John 17), nothing Satan or this world can do will prevent the fulfillment of our Lord's faithful prayer.

    It's because this fullness of unity is so certainly beyond us and humanly inconceivable that people refuse to believe it.  And it truly is impossible without our heavenly Father's intervention, but "with God all things are possible" (Matt 19:26).  Yahweh has provided us with the means for this amazing level of unity to be brought into being.  He's given us apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers.  And their work is to equip and build the Body "until we all reach unity in the faith" (Eph 4:11-16).  And right now Yahweh's moving to make this a reality.  He's shaking up the Church, trying to get everyone's attention.  We can listen and obey and receive the riches of this great gift; or we can seek to maintain our little kingdoms as they are and miss out or even worse be cast aside.

    To doubt that this level of unity can happen is to doubt Yahweh and his Word.  It's not a case of rejecting the philosophies of man, but it's a rejection of Spirit-ordained ministry.  And that is a rejection of the God who gives gifts to his people.  Too many people want to perfect themselves through self-effort, through their individual sacrifices of fasting and prayer and personal devotion.  These are good things, but in themselves they limit us.  Yahweh ordained unity, the ministries of the Body of Christ working in harmony as the way perfection is to come.  To refuse to work with these ministries is to say to our Lord and Master, "I don't need your gifts, I prefer to be perfected in my own way."

 

    In Psalm 133 we find some hopeful and inspiring words about the fellowship of believers.  We understand the difficulty of true unity.  It doesn't come easily, but it's simple to know what Yahweh expects of his people.  When Jewish pilgrims sang this psalm as they traveled to Jerusalem, they didn't sing it solo because they harldy ever traveled alone.  They came from various tribes, areas, and walks of life.  But no matter how different they were the fellowship of Yahweh's people made the trip refreshing because they could sing this song of ascent together.

    We're pilgrims, too.  We're traveling together on the long road to heaven.  It's foolish to try to be a believer in isolation.  The moment we become a Christian we become a part of a body of believers.  Jesus is the basis for our fellowship.  We're part of a world-wide Christian community and yet many struggle to join a local fellowship of believers, a local church.  No Christian is an only child.  We can't thrive in isolation.  We're a part of a living body.

    Jesus modeled the community of believers for us in the way he lived with the disciples.  They shared a common purpose, united around their Teacher, but they didn't always get along.  There was bickering and competitiveness.  Jesus had to remind them that they were brothers, and not to let their differences break them apart.  When we trust Jesus we gain abundant resources to live godly lives, but we still have a bent for sinning.  Our personalities don't change completely.  Introverts don't turn into chatty extroverts.  Dominating extroverts don't settle quickly into a meek and mild mode.  We are who we are, different and united.  We may not think alike, but Yahweh expects us to work together.

    Psalm 133 contains two images of what unity does for us, oil-anointing and dew-refreshing.  The first image appears kind of messy to us.  When we anoint the sick with oil we normally only use a dab of it.  The image here is of oil running down over Aaron's head and dripping from his beard.  Oil wasn't dabbed on him, but poured over his head.  The oil was scented, fragrant with spices.  The smell would cling to Aaron.  We're reminded of this in 2 Cor 2:14.  "God, through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him."  We're to be sweet perfume to a decaying world.  Oil is a symbol of Yahweh's presence and Spirit.  Oil was used to set apart prophets, priests, and kings.  This is significant to us because Christ means "anointed one."  As Christians that makes us "anointed ones."

    We're called to the ministry of the priesthood.  Pastors and elders may provide spiritual leadership, but everyone is called to minister as a priest of the Most High.  When we realize that we and our fellow believers are all priests, this should energize us to do good works.  Not works that earn anything from our Father, but the kind of works "which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Eph 2:10).

    The image of the dew is often neglected.  Our preachers and teachers remind us of the anointing unity brings, but many times fail to point out the refreshing it offers us.  On the mountains of Israel the dew falls heavy and thick.  The mountaintops are drenched and the feeling is one of freshness and fertility.  Israel's a primarily arid country, so the morning dew is important if plants are going to grow.  We need the dew of unity and fellowship in our lives if we're to flourish and grow spiritually.  And like the dew it can't be manufactured by human effort.

    Unity is a gift from our Lord God Almighty, produced by the Holy Spirit in response to a faith-filled prayer lifted by our Savior Jesus.  The unity Yahweh wants of us is based on himself.  Yahweh is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  He's three-in-one, a tri-unity.  The goodness unity brings is there because it's based on Yahweh's perfect goodness.  He's directly involved in our lives, but he also made us to need the fellowship of other human beings.

    Dew and oil both flow down.  Yahweh is the focus and source of these blessings.  They come down from him to his people.  Unity is a gift of his grace.  When we live together as Yahweh's people, we're being given a taste of eternal life.  As we look around at the Church, we see people we're going to be spending eternity with.  Why wait until then to enjoy their company?  Come together now and rejoice in the richness of Yahweh's grace and blessing.  Unity is possible.  In Christ unity is ours.  It's not about our efforts to overcome our differences and the ability to have worship services together, it's about loving one another as Jesus has loved us.  With the help of the Holy Spirit we can do this and be truly united.  This is what the Feast of Tabernacles was supposed to be pointing us toward and helping us to learn.

 

    Blessings & Peace,    Mike

Right & Wrong Trust (9/13/10)

Shalom,




Please begin by reading Jer 17:5-10.



A favorite academic type of question used in essay tests is the "compare and contrast." The student's task is to discuss the differences and similarities between two different ideas or situations or characters. Here in Jeremiah we find two very different types of people. They're shown in deep contrast to one another based on what they ultimately place their trust in.

Every human being has to ultimately and finally put their reliance and trust in someone or something. It might be their Creator or it might be a person or it might be a philosophy or it may even be themselves. We're constantly placing our trust in other people: consider doctors, teachers, pilots, repairmen, politicians, and even pastors. As much as we desire to be fully self-reliant, we all turn to the "experts" when we run into something we don't understand.

But we're really looking at something much deeper than life and our daily situations. We're looking at the big picture, our thoughts and ideas about eternity and life after death. When your world is falling apart, when confronted with death, when tragedy strikes, what gives you hope for the future? What is the thing you place deep hope and reliance in that you expect to hold firm when everything else fails? There are only two real choices: Yahweh or a human.



The primary concept in our culture today is to look towards the self as being the ultimate source of trust. Self-help groups and books abound, all of them trying to convince us that we have the answers we need somewhere deep inside. The idea being that the ultimate source of truth is buried deep within us, we just have to dig it up. But don't we humans have a basic distrust of other people, particularly the people in authority or leadership, especially if they're of the "wrong" political party? This is mostly a reaction to the failure of past leaders, who promised much but delivered little or who have betrayed the trust placed in them.

The human race has tried many times to be strong and resolute in doing what's right, but it always fails without Yahweh's help. We're feeble and sinful and unable to deliver true justice and righteousness like our Creator. The Hebrew phrasing speaks of the "arm of the flesh." It means just flesh, no bone. The human strength referred to offers no true support. People may not mean to fail, but deep down they don't have the ability to keep themselves from ultimate failure. Some have begun with good motives and still failed miserably. Some have believed they were strong enough and eventually learned otherwise.

The person who trusts in human strength or ability is compared to a desert plant, in other words - a stunted shrub. These plants have no fruit. They're small, and always less than fully grown. All their effort must be put into getting every bit of moisture required to stay alive. They live in salty, barren places. They're isolated and even if they grew strong and beautiful, nobody would see or enjoy them.

Like many humans, they rely on their own resources. There's nobody to tend them, to provide water or fertilizer. Many people today have bought into the idea that we can all be fully self-sufficient, not realizing that Yahweh created us to live in community helping and blessing one another. There aren't many insects around to pollinate desert plants. There are few birds or animals around to move their seeds about. Our heavenly Father didn't design us to be solitary people, fellowship is a vital aspect of our mental and spiritual health. And these plants must adapt to being on their own, much like many who isolate themselves in our society.

Recently England had a severe summer drought. The use of hoses to water gardens was prohibited and consequently many gardens dried up and failed. The next year "drought-proof" plants were all the rage. Many people bought desert plants which require much less watering. Guess what, the next summer was extremely wet. These desert plants proved to be the wrong answer. They don't have deep root systems and thus died from over-watering. Doesn't that provide us with a good picture of trusting in humans?

If we trust in human strength or ability, we'll end up with no fruit in our gardens either. Trusting in humans is putting all our energy into survival, leaving nothing for bearing fruit. We'll then have nothing of value to offer to others, and we also can't receive from them either. Our interactions with other people will be dry and empty instead of encouraging and uplifting. If we insist on standing alone and trusting in our own abilities, we'll miss out on many blessings because we'll actually be refusing to give and receive.

By adapting to providing for oursevles and living off our own resources, we'll also miss out on the blessings of our Creator. If we're insistent on providing for ourselves, we can't receive from the Lord of Glory. Some of these people are sitting in churches and completely missing out on the movements of the Holy Spirit. They're sitting in our midst, in the place where Yahweh's living water flows, but they don't receive his blessings. They sit there consumed with their personal situation and miss the touch of their heavenly Father.



The better way to live is to trust in our Creator. Yahweh is Truth, totally unable to fail or let anyone down. He keeps all his promises and delivers blessings without fail. The God of the Bible doesn't have human qualities like the gods of Greek and Roman mythology. He is pure and righteous, completely working for our good.

The person who puts their trust in Yahweh is described as a strong, fruitful tree planted by a riverbank. This tree was planted in this place deliberately. It was carefully placed where it would be able to abound and flourish. Even in times of drought, any tree in this position would receive life-sustaining water. A tree like this doesn't have to rely on itself, it's nourished without fail because of its placement.

The big contrast here is that the desert tree is described as cursed, while the tree along the riverbank is described as blessed. Yahweh provides an endless source of blessing and strength if we trust in him. No matter what the circumstances of life bring our way, he is our source. If we remain close to the source of our nourishment, we can develop deep spiritual roots which will help us receive even more blessing and strength from our Lord. Even in this world where trouble and sorrow are regular visitors, Yahweh can fill us with hope and peace when we stay near to him.

People like this aren't growing and being blessed only for their own benefit. A tall and strong tree can shelter other people from the fierce heat of the sun. A fruitful tree is a source of food, vitamins, and good nourishment. When we grow like that spiritually, people who are struggling can come to us and find relief. True followers of Yahweh know that what we recieve must be passed along to others for us to continue to blessed. If we hoard what our Lord gives us we will begin to shrivel and wither even in the midst of Yahweh's abundance.

We must remember the words of Jesus in Luke 6:38. "Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured to you." We'll get back in relation to what we give. If we hoard, we get no return on Yahweh's blessings. If we're generous in giving, we'll get a generous return on our investment. And these are spiritual blessings so don't try to measure your return with standards from our material world.

If we remain close to our Lord we're promised that we won't "be bothered by the heat." Times of drought will come our way, but they won't damage us if we remain intimately connected to Yahweh. We may feel the effects of our fallen world in our flesh, but our spirits will always remain strong and fresh if we continue to partake of the living water. There's no promise that someone else's free will choices can't end up hurting us physically or materially. But we know they can't have any effect on our eternity because that's totally in Yahweh's hands.



The conclusion of this passage tells us our hearts are "decietful and desperately wicked." Decitful literally means rough and bumpy. Using deceit to get an advantage for ourselves doesn't provide us with a smooth path, it roughs up the road, making for an uncomfortable trip to eternity. Desperately wicked means beyond cure. Israel and Judah had to go into exile because of what Yahweh recorded in 2 Chron 36:16. "They mocked God's messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of Yahweh was aroused against his people and there was no remedy." We're in deep trouble because of this bad heart condition, but our heavenly Father says there's hope.

Only the God of Truth can rightly judge our hearts. And because he's completely the Truth, he'll be absolutely fair in his judgments. He knows if we've planted ourselves in the desert by our own willfulness, or if we've been deceived and hurt and left to fend for ourselves. When it says we'll receive according to what our deeds "deserve," deserve is referring to crops. What have we planted, good or bad crops? Have we allowed Yahweh to choose the place where he'll plant us? Have we trusted him to pick the perfect spot to set our roots down? Put your trust in the right place. Allow your Creator to guide you to a bountiful place.



Blessings & Peace, Mike

Sorting Out Good & Evil (9/6/10)

Shalom,




Please begin by reading Isa 32:1-8.



This is a very interesting passage. The first two verses point to the reign of Jesus, the righteous King, and all he'll do to refresh and heal the earth. The next two point to those who surrender to his rule, despite their sinful ways and attitudes. The next three point to those who reject him, and how they'll eventually lose all influence in this world. And it closes with a blessing on those who truly do good in the name of Yahweh.

The servants of Yahweh are spoken of as noble or "honest princes." The people who will rule and reign with King Jesus have dignified character. Their hearts have been changed and they're now noble people. Verses 3-4 describe those who've surrendered to Jesus as the ones who are no longer blind, deaf, rash, or filled with an overabundance of words. Without the healing balm of Yahweh no one can see spiritual things. We need him to open our eyes by asking for his touch. None of us can hear spiritual truth until we surrender our willfulness to our Lord God Almighty. Once we come to know and understand that the only real Truth is found in Yahweh's Word, we can overcome our tendency to make "rash" decisions about spiritual things. And of course when we come to know Jesus as our Savior and Lord we no longer have to waste our words talking about other gods or philosophies.

Verse 3 describes people who can now function properly. Their spiritual eyes and ears now rightly see and listen. And the key is that their concern is for the face and voice of Yahweh. That's what they want. That's what they hunger and thirst for. The word closed refers to self-inflicted blindness. It's root is smearing over, covering their eyes with something. When we refuse to believe Yahweh's Truth, it's our own doing. We've personally caused our lack of spiritual vision. The word listen means to pay attention. Before we came to personally know and love our Lord we could hear him calling, but we refused to listen. We've always had the ability to see and hear, we just didn't choose to follow Yahweh.

Then look at what our Sovereign Lord says about "hotheads." The rash are those who through blind zeal pursue other gods or philosophies. But they have every opportunity to change and become filled with spiritual sense and understanding. This won't just be theoretical knowledge, but experiential knowledge. They'll know the truth because they'll have met and responded to the Holy Spirit. Their zeal will change from fighting against the knowledge of Yahweh to hungering and thirsting for it. The understanding we're talking about is discerning, it's skillful in analyzing and determining what is of Yahweh and what is not.

The next group is very interesting. Basically it says, those who stammer in uncertainty will speak out plainly. This is referring to those who speak many words to try and convince themselves and others of truth outside of Yahweh. But after meeting and trusting in Jesus these people will be able to speak elegantly. The fruit of their lips will change from a bunch of gibberish to confident and bold words proclaiming the Truth of Yahweh. Where before they spoke evasively, trying to deceive themselves and others, they'll now be speaking the pure counsel of the Holy Spirit.



Now we get to the "bad guys." The primary thing here is that the deception and wrong acknowledgement of evil's "good deeds" will no longer be the way of the world. When Jesus returns, the evil will be clearly recognizable and exposed in the light of his Truth and Justice. Too often our world operates the way Isa 5:20 warns against. "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkenss for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter." The spiritual radiance of our Lord Jesus will allow us to see and discern people's hearts.

We start with fools. The word fool here is nabal. Nabal was a rash and headstrong man who rejected David's request for food in response to his army's protection (1 Sam 25). This word refers to the foolish who are insolent and prideful. They have no understanding of Yahweh and reject him as invalid for any improvement in their lives. These are ungodly fools who off-handedly reject Yahweh because "they have better things to do."

We can't call these people heroes. They aren't noble, generous, great, or anything worthy of our praise and adoration. Some of our modern-day idols are sports stars, movie stars, and rich celebrities. Many of these people have no love for Yahweh, and in fact deny his reality and profess other philosophies. Their unrighteous ways should cause us to turn away from their influence. Just because they have money and fame doesn't mean they should influence our choices and decisions. Many will listen to the foolish advice these kinds of people spout just because they are rich. Many will find themselves greatly disappointed when their idol falls and leaves them chasing after odd spiritual or philosophical rabbit trails which only lead them to get tangled in the thorns of Satan's lies.

The scoundrels are wealthy cheaters. Webster's dictionary says a scoundrel is a rascal or a villain. When Jesus returns we'll clearly recognize and discern the motives of people's hearts and be able to reject the scoundrels who've wormed their way into influential positions in society. They'll no longer be considered as "outstanding citizens," but will be exposed as the cheaters and deceivers they truly are. Having financial or political or any other kind of influence because of cheating or deception doesn't earn you favor with Yahweh. But it will eventually be exposed and these people will be left as naked as the fairy tale emperor.

The King James Bible calls this person a churl. This means a miser. This is a person who practices hypocrisy. He may use high-sounding words about how he's trying to help others, but the bottom line for him is how much he benefits. He sets his eye against Yahweh and especially the poor, using lying words to deceive and cheat people out of their money.



The implication of this passage is that after Jesus returns everyone will recognize ungodly fools for what they are. King Jesus will bring us a discernment that keeps us from being fooled in any way by the sweet talk or sales pitch of the ungodly. A wolf in sheeps' clothing will be clearly seen for what he is, and will be denied any opportunity to continue his evil and deceptive ways. We could have more of that kind of discernment now if we walked more in the presence of our Lord God Almighty.

Look at the kinds of things they do. He "spreads error concerning Yahweh." This is talking about someone who lives and loves ungodliness. They talk as if they know the secrets of heaven and even convince many people of their truth. We're warned about these people in many places throughout the Bible, but 2 Tim 3:13 probably says it best. "Evil men and imposters will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived." These false teachers only want to control and manipulate others. They don't have Yahweh's Truth, only a corrupted version of it.

We know of people who've collected for the poor and needy and then run off with the money or swindled them in some way to come out ahead themselves. We see how government bureaucracy deprives needy people of what they need while fattening the bellies and wallets of those who work within the bureaucracy. Someday everyone will be well cared for and the swindlers and scoundrels will all be exposed for what they truly are.

The scoundrel's methods are translated as "smooth tricks" in the New Living Translation. Interestingly this phrase can also refer to things which are disagreeable to Yahweh. Some of the words describing this in the concordance were bad, disagreeable, stingy, ugly, and ethically evil. I don't believe anyone who follows Jesus would want these kind of descriptions being made of their activities.

And notice where these unethical things are being done, in court We know our current juducial system in America is mostly corrupt and ungodly. In general, our judges don't make their decisions based on absolute standards, and because of this we have many people cheating and lying their way to decisions in their favor. Maybe the only thing which can cleanse our judicial system is the return of Jesus, but we need to do our best to influence them to be just and fair right now.



The good news in this passage is that these evil things are going to be removed from our world. Not just because Jesus shows up, but also because we'll no longer tolerate them. The righteousness of King Jesus being manifested in our world and through our personal activites will judge and remove evil influences from our midst. The reason our world has gotten darker is primarily because the people who know and believe in Jesus as their Savior and Lord, backed out of politics and society. Instead of staying in the midst of the problem, we backed out and let it get worse. So we can be extremely thankful that Jesus will clean house someday.

Look at verse 8 again. "But the noble man makes noble plans, and by noble deeds he stands." We will walk with nobility and generosity and diginity in Christ. Isn't that something you'd love to see more of right now? Imagine our world with everyone trusting Jesus and seeking to walk in his righteous ways. Be of good cheer because that day is coming. Do your best to walk that way right now and seek to influence people away from the darkness of the world system.



Blessings & Peace, Mike

Purpose-Filled Waiting (8/23/10)

Shalom,




Please begin by reading Psalm 40:1-3.



The first line of this Psalm is something we're not always very good at doing. Waiting and patience don't seem to be habits admired or practiced by the modern person. When we look at the life situations of the people around us, our current society and culture, patient waiting isn't practiced with much enthusiasm. It seems that the people who serve us or wait on us aren't used to people who patiently wait. In fact they're usually extremely thankful to those who show them some courtesy.

I know I've been blessed to be told that it was so nice that I was patient when things didn't move quickly. I didn't huff and puff over how inconvenienced I was by not getting super-fast service. Just the fact that I accepted any delays was a blessing to the people who were serving me. This shows how rude and impatient much of our scoiety has become when not overreacting is viewed as something rare.



I believe we can say that the opening verses of this Psalm speak to us the following thought: "Hang on, there's a way out." Or maybe you remember what Yahweh said to Moses when the Israelites were faced with the sea on one side and the Egyptian army on the other. "Be still, Yahweh will fight for you" (Ex 14:14). Of course the promise of Isa 40:31 is pretty good, too. "Those who wait on Yahweh will find new strength." We need to have the kind of faith and trust in Yahweh that provides the strength to wait. As long as we're living on this earth and bound by time, we better know that there are going to be delays and problems that we'll have to deal with.

When we reach the end of of ourselves, the place where we have no more ability to handle a situation, that's when we truly need to look to Yahweh for help and deliverance. There is always a way out of our problems with his help. We don't have to feel frustrated or angry or overwhelmed by the ongoing troubling situations of this world. Yahweh does hear our heartfelt cries and does provide real help. The word "wait" in Isa 40:31 means to hope for, to be patiently looking for Yahweh. When we have biblical hope, we trust that Yahweh is coming to our aid and we're actively looking for his arrival.

Our circumstances, spirituality, education, or financial means don't matter in these situations. Nothing we have or own is the answer to our problems. Because problems come to everyone who lives on this earth. There's no place we can go to avoid the effects of this fallen world. But there is a God we can trust in to help us.

We can't give in to the pressures. We'll only bring bigger problems to ourselves when we begin to look for man-made solutions. We must remain strong and resolute in trusting Yahweh to meet our needs. We must stand strong in our faith and look beyond the circumstances we find ourselves immersed in. We must allow Yahweh to work things out for our good. Know this, Yahweh doesn't control us like pets, making us wait to receive some special treat. We don't have to do tricks for him or do some task to get a reward, but things do work much better when we're actively seeking his help.



The phrase "waited patiently" is very interesting. It's actually the same word used twice. Instead of simply waiting, it's referring to waiting with hope and eagerness and expectation. It's a looking for the good things that Yahweh will bring, and having confidence that he will certainly be faithful. The idea I get is that I can patiently wait, with expectation and true hope, for Yahweh to work out my troubles instead of struggling on my own and actually making things worse.

The main idea here is that Yahweh is working according to his timetable and schedule, his plan and purpose. The situations and circumstances we encounter in this life can cause us stress We all too often become impatient trying to hurry along the resolution of our difficulties. The advice here is to cry out to our Father in heaven and allow him to work on our behalf. He promises to lift us out of our troubles and place us on secure ground where we can walk without stumbling.

Do you know the growing cycle of the Chinese bamboo tree? When it's planted, nothing much happens for the first four years. Then at some point in the fifth year it will grow around 90 feet in six weeks. Now, did it grow that much in six weeks or in five years? Sometimes Yahweh seems to be moving at this kind of pace when we look at our situations with just our human eyes.

Sometimes it seems like our Father is taking forever to deal with "our" issue. If we're not expectantly waiting for his help, we may get very impatient and give up before he works everything out. Some of us are in such a hurry to get answers to our problems and concerns that we're not willing or interested in waiting on Yahweh to work for us. At times we're so selfish that all we're concerned with is whether or not Yahweh has provided us the answer we demand. Don't ever forget that he may answer in a different way than we expect, and only a heart that's patiently waiting for him will be likely to see this.

Waiting on Yahweh with true patience has purpose. It's not an aimless pursuit where we're just hanging out until we hear from him. As we wait for answers to our probelms we should be continuing to do our Father's business. In the midst of our struggling we should be doing the works of the Kingdom. And a benefit of doing this is that we're not just sitting around totally focused on our stuff. When we're focused on doing the Father's business we don't end up fretting and stewing in our selfish pursuit of answers. Doing his business keeps us at peace and the passage of time isn 't wearing on us.

Good and proper waiting requires focused prayer. If we're patiently waiting for Yahweh to answer our cry, we'll be offering Kingdom-minded prayers. Luke 18:1 says, "One day Jesus told his disciples a story to illustrate their need for constant prayer and to show them that they must never give up." When we trust our Father we don't get the attitude that he's not listening so why should I bother. Eph 6:18 tells us, "Pray at all times and on every occasion in the power of the Holy Spirit. Stay alert and be persistent." Persistence is Yahweh directed.

And if we wait patiently we're told that Yahweh will give us "a new song to sing." When we expectantly hope in his response, our perspective changes. Things look different when our eyes are set on heavenly things instead of our troubles. We act differently when we know help is on the way. We're not in the panic mode, stressed and uncertain of our future. We know Yahweh is faithful and will touch our lives in a way that blesses us and raises us above our earthly troubles and struggles.

When we fall in love our perspective changes. We've all seen the difference in someone who has a new love. We walk around humming love songs. People see the dreamy look in our eyes and know someone has touched our heart. We walk around bubbling over with happiness. That's the kind of thing people should see in us because we're in love with our Creator. When Yahweh effectively moves in our lives and relieves the pressures of this world, people should see a real change in us.



People outside Christianity need to know that their Creator has an interest in them and their situations. If we're too busy or stressed to allow time for sharing this Good News with others, we can't know his peace. And if we aren't exhibiting his peace, how can we expect anyone to want what we have? If we're showing impatience because Yahweh isn't answering our prayer in a timely manner or helping us overcome our problems, aren't we actually showing unbelievers that what we have isn't worth their time and effort?

Christian author Eileen Gruder said, "To be impatient with God, chronically and habitually impatient with Him because things are not to our liking, makes the Christian life a dreadful burden." Learning to patiently wait allows us to sing a new song in the midst of whatever problems or troubles we face. Actually walking out this patient waiting shows us to be maturing in our faith and opens doors of opportunity for the sharing of the Gospel.

Our culture and society teach that waiting is wasteful. We're told that busyness is good, that we need to be in control of every situation, that all hindrances shoud be removed. We're taught that waiting is a form of abuse. That's why many people who work in service jobs are amazed when someone treats them with dignity by patienlty waiting.

But the Scriptures tells us that waiting on Yahweh is beneficial. We're told by our heavenly Father that we're not the center of the universe, not the most important thing in our world. Our Father tells us to remember that he's always with us, that he wants to help us out of our troubles, that he wants to guide us when we're lost. Trust in Yahweh's provision, even when you can't see it or it seems to be slow in coming. Know that he is completely faithful and that he loves you very much.



Blessings & Peace, Mike

The Big Problem (8/16/10)

Shalom,




Please begin by reading Judges 21:25.



Moral relativism is becoming the norm for people's perception of our world and the way they make decisions. Removing the "old-fashioned" thinking about right and wrong is rampant in our society and culture. A group of college students were recently asked their opinions of the media, specifically the R-rated kinds of things being shown on TV and in the movies. When asked why sex and violence were so prevalent, one student answered, "Because it's no big deal." This is how many people were thinking about moral issues when the verse you just read was recorded.

There's an extremely important and very modern insight in this verse and the other three which mention the same thing in the Book of Judges. The Israelites weren't doing what was "wrong in their own eyes." They were convinced that whatever they thought was right was what was right. But they lived in a society filled with violence, idolatry, and immorality. They lived utterly pagan lives, but felt and believed that they were still "God's people." They claimed to belong to Yahweh their Creator God, but yet they rejected his rules for right living and "did their own thing."

Sounds a lot like our world today doesn't it? The worldly value systems, humanistic moral standards, pseudo-religious beliefs, and immoral lifestyles we see prove that many have lost touch with reality. When there's no absolute truth, which is what far too many people believe, there's no measuring stick for right behavior and individual standards are then very far ranging. This leads directly to relativism, a place with no standards. The basic philosphy of many today is: "If it's true to me, that's all that matters."



The main problem with Israel at the time the Book of Judges was written was that they too easily coexisted with the pagans and kept falling into sin by copying their lifestyle. The claim is that there was no king, so they could make their own rules. They forgot that Yahweh was their King and that he had given them specific rules to live by.

We all know people, or have been around the kind of people who have no hesitation to do wrong. They have no moral limitations, and will do almost anything as long as they're reasonably sure they can get away with it. We know those who live in whatever manner they choose, and who proudly declare "I did it my way." This is what Yahweh tells us the whole nation of Israel was doing. Everyone was the king of their own little kingdom, making their own rules and deciding everything according to their own preferences.

Living this way seems much too easy for those who reject Yahweh's revelation. They've decided to live independent of their Creator and no one can convince them that they're wrong. For many of these people, nothing is forbidden or too disgusting to get involved in. Once we reject the basic premise that Yahweh is our Designer and knows what's best for us, then we can determine for ourselves what is right and wrong. When this is done our society and culture will eventually crumble into chaos because the Designer's safety features are ignored and we bring destruction on ourselves.

The fact that everyone, or at least a good number of people, are doing as they wish is a sad commentary on the weak spiritual condition of any nation. Where did our trouble begin in America? It began with the Church. Because the trouble is primarily spiritual, it's source is those who are spiritual, or at least those who claim to be spiritual. When the Church stops being a restraint upon the sin nature of all humans, we begin to have a people without moral boundaries. When that happens we move toward chaos.

Our problem doesn't center on drugs or the generation gap or crime or pornography. Our trouble isn't centered on who has control of our political system. People often say, "If we could just change this or that law or elect the right person, everything would be fine." To the world this makes perfect sense, but to the truly spiritual person it's absolute nonsense.

We need to stand and maintain our position on the spiritual foundation of Jesus Christ. Without this, we have nothing of true value to offer to our pagan society. If we don't have security and peace and absolute truth, we're no different from them. If ours is just "another truth," instead of the absolute truth, we're just another option in our pluralistic and universalistic world. We have to have something solid to share with a world living with nothing but pipe dreams, or worse yet demonic illusion. Think about it, their truth is an illusion conjured up in their own minds or given to them by our deceiving enemy.

Moral relativism teaches that there's no absolute truth. It says that all philosophies, religions, and opinions are equally valid. And it tells us there's no way to distinguish one as being morally superior to another. This is dangerous because it's intellectually and morally bankrupt. This anti-Christian philosophy denies common sense and empirical evidence. Every human is born with a conscience, a special ability given us by our Creator to help know the difference between right and wrong and to accurately discern between the two. Relativism is a false religion because it takes faith to believe this way. There's no empirical evidence that this is the right way to live.

If there's no absolute truth, we're forced to accept contradictory "truths." Just a little study of the world's religions will prove to any thinking individual that they're not "all the same." There are clear differences in beliefs that are totally contradictory. For example, the Christian belief in a personal, living God has no similarity to the pantheism of Buddhism. If all religion is leading us to the same place, wouldn't the underlying framework of each be somewhat similar?



So how do we deal with people who reject the truth of the Bible? How do we get past their preconceived notions and pet beliefs about God? We speak the truth. We tell them how that truth has changed and blessed our lives. Don't let them initimidate you, be bold and courageous in proclaiming that Yahweh is the One, True God.

1 Pet 3:15-16 is one of the best pieces of advice the Bible offers to us on sharing Yahweh's truth with unbelievers. "If you are asked about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. But you must do this in a gentle and respectful way." We need to offer what we have without forcing it on people. We need to share our hope with a longing for the other person to understand Yahweh's love for them. Yes, sometimes that means speaking with what we call "tough love," but for the most part we need to share the Gospel without getting upset at how they receive it.

Daniel Taylor said, "It is an admirable thing when one is willing to die for the truth. It is more problematic when one is willing to kill for it. Throughout this century, the Church has shown itself more willing to do the latter than the former."



As the people of Yahweh we must do all we can to share the truth of a sinner's need for salvation. To do this we must personally know the truth about what is right and wrong according to our Creator's plan and purpose. We need to be actively working at living out what's right and wrong according to these standards. We need to be living out what's right and wrong even when we're not sure why it's the right thing. And we do this by trusting that our heavenly Father knows what best for us and accepting that his commands and rules are well worth our time and effort.

We need to hold out the truth like a light to our dark world, but we don't need to bang people over the head with our Bibles. It's a lot easier to denounce what's wrong with this world and those who live evil lifestyles than it is to demonstrate compassion, love, and the grace of our Lord Jesus. It would be much easier to shun all these people for their wanton sin than to act like Jesus did when he was around sinners.

Can you picture Jesus when he was hanging out with sinners? He often enjoyed their company, but he never condoned their sin. He was a "friend of sinners" according to the religious elitists of his day. We have to figure out to do this without being corrupted and overly influenced by their sinful lifestyles. We need to be able to be "friends of sinners" to have more opportunities to reach them with the Gospel.

Rom 2:4 says, "God's kindness leads you to repentance." How do we demonstrate Yahweh's kindness in practical ways to the lost? Arguments, proofs, or logic aren't always successful approaches when trying to lead people to Jesus. Demonstrating kindness, love, and mercy worked for our Lord, shouldn't we be trying to emulate him? Or if you're timid about being bold, look at the times Jesus directly confronted sin and wrong religious thinking. Be ready in case you have to demonstrate righteous indignation, too.

Remember this as you share the Gospel: Sin will take you farther than you wanted to go. It will keep you longer than you wanted to stay. It will cost you more than you wanted to pay.



Blessings & Peace, Mike

Asking for Help (8/2/10)

Shalom,




Please begin by reading Psalm 119:81-88.



In this section of Psalm 119 the writer appears to be talking about the very tough time he's having. It could be pressure from other people or even direct persecution, but we can know it to most definitely be from some sort of outside influence. He was going through a time of discouragement or disappointment. His troubles may seem extreme from the language he's using, but all of us face things that we feel we can only face with prayer and assitance from our Mighty God. As he pours out his heart to Yahweh, we can all say we've been there in some form or fashion.

When we walk through dark and difficult times we often need to be reminded to seek our Lord. If we'd focus on him and his salvation, we could then walk through these tough times with safety and security. The salvation the writer is crying out for in this portion of scripture isn't from his sins, but from his suffering and circumstances. We all need deliverance on different levels at different times. First and foremost we need to be set free from our sins. But at other times in our lives we need deliverance from the pressure and struggles and trials of life.

The phrasing used in "faints with longing" points to a desire to see things finished or completed. The writer wants his troubles to come to an end. He's speaking as if he's desperate for Yahweh to do something, anything. Haven't we all been there? Haven't we all felt the same kind of desperate longing for something unpleasant to end?

"My eyes fail, looking for your promise" is interesting. "My eyes fail" is the same phrasing as "faints with longing." The writer really wants to see this struggle come to an end. Everything in him is longing for a completion of this trial in his life. He's pouring out his heart to his God and asking for relief, for a solution, maybe even for a miracle. When we have a deep trust and hope in Yahweh, we can cry out for his direct help and expect an end to our problems. We just need to be careful that we're not trying to manipulate our Father into doing something. We can't control what he does, so we need to trust that he will hear our cry and respond to our need.



The writer says he feels like a bottle filled with smoke. Have you ever had a feeling like that, the weakness of not having clean air but only smoke-filled air filling you up? Have you ever been covered with smoke-smell, so much so that it permeated all your clothes and hair and skin? Most of us want to shower and change right away when that happens. Or we want to be like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who didn't smell of smoke at all even after being in the fiery furnace. We'd all appreciate Yahweh's hand protecting os even from the smell of smoke in the midst of any kind of fire.

When we get into these kinds of places, where we're frustrated, confused, and struggling; the Bible doesn't often make sense to us. We read and reread the Bible but we don't seem to be able to understand no matter what we do. It's because we're so distracted by our uncomfortable circumstance that we can't rightly focus on our Lord and his peace.

Be of good cheer, for the Bible never leaves you with nothing. When we read and stay in the Word of our God, it continues to do its work whether or not we realize it. The problem with many of us when we run into this kind of dry spell is that we give up because we don't "feel it." Don't worry so much about "feeling it." Just keep getting yourself into Yahweh's Word and prayer and fellowship until your obedience breaks through the cloud of despair and hopelessness. Know that persevering in what's right will help you overcome whatever is distracting you from sensing the presence of your Lord.

Even though the writer was expressing his struggles, he still remembered where his hope is based. "I do not forget your decrees." A decree is a clear communication of a law or prescription. We may not be able to see past our difficulties and problems, but we can be encouraged by the fact that Yahweh can and already has declared its end and prescribed a remedy for us. Know that however much longer you end up facing your struggle, Yahweh is right there with you. You aren't alone and don't have to carry the weight yourself.



And notice what the bad guys are doing. They're persecuting the writer, they're "digging pitfalls" for him. They're doing things contrary to Yahweh's Law. Don't we often feel like the secular world is out to get Christians in the same way today? Don't we often feel like "they" are waiting for us to fall into a deep dark pit so they can point their fingers at us and gloat over our struggles?

We often feel persecuted by those who want to remove Jesus from anything public. We feel like the laws that are being brought forth to hinder Christianity are put there only to trap us. The word for persecutors here is mainly concerned with being chased and hounded. Many American Christians believe that's what secular humanists are doing to believers, hounding us to make us back off from the public arena. One of our major problems is that too many Christians have been intimidated by the political correctness police who try to tell us we're intolerant of others because of our stand for Yahweh's truth. We need Yahweh's strength to remain standing for a standard of right and wrong. We need to be against the modern relativism that preaches individual standards of right and wrong.

When other humans work "contrary" to Yahweh's rules for life, we should be crying out for protection and justice. Because when others are setting their own standards of right and wrong their actions will eventually adversely affect the people around them. When other humans are proud of their rejection of Yahweh, we need to know that problems will arise and that we need our Lord's help. Because their rejection of Yahweh will lead them to selfish actions which are likely to cause problems for more than themselves. When just speaking the name of Jesus is such a problems in our world, we must be crying out in prayer for Yahweh's intervention. Because if we don't speak forth Yahweh's truth, too many people in our world will believe the lies.



And like the writer we need to understand that "all your commands are trustworthy." When lies are used against us to persecute us or to hinder our involvement in the world, trust that following Yahweh is the safest and most secure place to be. Yahweh is absolutely trustworthy. We can rely and depend on him no matter what is happening all around us. And by obediently serving him, even during persecution or other stress-filled situations, we draw even closer to him and his protection.

When we're in desperate situations most of us make short work of our pleas for help. Not many of us make profound or long speeches when asking for real help. When we really know we have no place else to turn but to our Father for help, we usually make very direct requests for his help. When we're desperate for help, our words are few and very pointed. There's no time or need for an oration when things are really tough.

So I believe, based on this Psalm and other places where we see heartfelt cries for relief, that we can be direct and short when we ourselves have those same types of need. Don't worry about being eloquent when things are desperate. In fact, you don't often hear the fancy "King James" prayers when people are in great need. Besides, short and direct prayers are very easy to speak. We don't have to have an expansive vocabulary, just a heart cry that our Father will lovingly hear and respond to.

The writer says here that "they almost wiped me from the earth." His persecutors came close to killing him, but his faith remained strong. He was almost consumed by the evildoers hate. He was almost destroyed by their evil intent. He almost died in the pit of despair, but he remembered his Mighty God and trusted in his salvation. He knew even if he died, his salvation was sure because he'd been faithful to follow Yahweh's commands. We can know that if we live as best we can in accordance with Yahweh's Truth that our Lord will surely keep our souls absolutely safe and secure.

Hopefully we can all say that our souls are absolutely safe and secure in the hands of our heavenly Father. When the world hates us and tries to remove all influence of our Creator from its midst, we need more than ever to cling to his influence. When the world persecutes us we need to say that no matter what the circumstances, no matter what the difficulties, regardless of what happens - I will not forsake or deny Yahweh my God.

In Psalm 60:11 it says, "the help of man is worthless." Worthless here means vain and of no effect. The word is also tied to idol worship, the human vanity of seeking help from "other" gods. Now there are some people and organizations out there with some good ideas and plans. But we must always seek Yahweh's purpose first. No human can come up with the solution to all our problems, because one of our biggest problems is our sinful humanity. Yahweh is all-powerful and all-knowing, no human with his mortal limits can even come close to giving us the perfect answers that come from our Creator.



We must pray and seek our Lord for the restoration of his Kingdom. If more of our world operated by Kingdom principles there would be less struggles and trials to overcome. We must seek both personal and corporate revival. If the Body of Christ would rightly surrender and consecrate themselves unto their Lord, more territory could be Spirit-led and inspired. We must understand that ministering the fullness of Yahweh's Kingdom to our world is a responsibility we can't shirk if we want to see the ways of the world overcome. To raise up the Body of Christ, the world and its demonically-led system must be put down.



Blessings & Peace, Mike

Test the Spirits (‏ (7/26/10

Shalom,




Please begin by reading 1 John 4:1-6.



How can you tell when someone is lying to you? How do you spot a lie? Some people give it away with their body language. The most prominent way we detect lies is the lack of eye contact. Well then, what about spiritual issues? How can we recognize a false prophet? This is more difficult, because a false prophet may be completely convinced that what they're saying is true. But according to what you just read, we've been given a task, "test the spirits."

It's very important to ensure that we're listening to true prophets. If what someone is speaking to us isn't from Yahweh, we need to know for certain that we're not getting drawn into their lies. It said very clearly in verse 6 that we should "recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood." The word recognize means to get at the truth, to know and understand intimately. At its core it means to be able to recognize truth through personal experience. We have a built-in lie detector as long as we walk intimately with our Lord and Savior.



What's a prophet? A prophet is a person who's come under the influence of a supernatural power. His message comes from that power, whether it's good or evil. The prophet speaks the inspired message of the spirit that's helping him. A prophet of Yahweh speaks the words of Yahweh to his audience. He receives messages directly from the Holy Spirit, and his duty is to pass them along without any personal additions or subtractions.

False prophets, as mentioned in 1 John, weren't and aren't today merely misguided teachers. They're actually inspired by a demonic spirit. The passage lists two of these influences: the spirit of antichrist and the spirit of falsehood or deception. Both are worldly-minded influences. A false prophet speaks the word of his lord, and his lord is demonic. The false prophet receives his messages from a demonic spirit or just makes things up in his own mind. Either way, the messages aren't from Yahweh. And even if they have true insight, they are only meant to draw us away from the source of truth.

It's significant that almost every deviant form of Christianity diminishes or distorts the person of Jesus. The test is simple. Was Jesus truly Yahweh's Messiah, the Word made flesh, fully man and fully God; or not? If not, whatever the source of the denial, it can't be called Christian. As soon as a leader of any sort begins to speak about Jesus as less than God, know that there is false prophecy in the air.

True prophets and Christians confess the true Messiah. The word acknowledge can also be translated as to confess or to profess allegiance to. John stresses that we must believe Jesus came in the flesh. We're not to just believe that incarnation is possible, but to fully believe that Jesus is God-made-flesh. No other view of Jesus will do. No matter how impossible we believe or think virgin birth to be, know that Yahweh is capable of making it happen. Some will turn away because they just can't accept miracles like the virgin birth, but without it there is no true Christianity.

The confession of belief we make is essential and crucial to us. It stands at the very heart of our faith. Do away with this confession, and you do away with Christianity. Our Savior must be both human and divine. He must be completely human in order to take our place and bear the punishment for our sin. If he was half-God and half-human, then he had an advantage over us, and his sacrifice wouldn't be acceptable. On the other hand, if the Savior is to atone for all human sin, he must be God. Jesus set aside his divinity and became fully human. He needed to live a completely human life, a perfect human life, to be an acceptable sacrifice before our Most Holy God.



There's a real need for discernment among us. We're too often gullible and exhibit a naive readiness to credit anyone's "spiritual" messages and teachings as coming from God. Just because something is "spiritual" or supernatural doesn't mean it comes from Yahweh. There is a realm between heaven and earth where many evil spirits reside and are more than willing to share special messages with us. Don't be misguided and tolerate false prophecy or teaching too easily.

As Operation Iraqi Freedom raged, Iraq's Minister of Information daily refuted clear evidence that Iraq was losing the war. On April 6th, after coalition forces seized Baghdad's Saddam Airport, renamed it Baghdad International Airport, and started flying planes in; the newspapers quoted him as saying, "We butchered the force present at the airport." On April 7th, after US troops penetrated central Baghdad and stormed Saddam's Republican Palace, newspapers quoted him as saying, "There is no presence of American columns in the city of Baghdad at all. We besieged them, and we killed most of them." Referred to as Baghdad Bob by the US media, his efforts to explain away coalition force victories as illusions were absolutely comical and pitiful in their lies.

In the same way, our spiritual enemy is already defeated at the cross of Christ, yet he continues to hurl out lies, insults, and condemnation at the saints of Yahweh. All the powers of evil are already defeated. There's a victory in Yeshua Master Messiah right now. The Bible consistently conveys a sense of assurance and confidence in spiritual warfare for true believers. Don't listen to the false prophets who deny our spiritual strength against Satan and the demons. Satan is a worse liar than Baghdad Bob, because according to John 8:44 he's "the father of all lies."

A false prophet's position is revealed not only by his teaching, but also by the character of his audience. If his followers are from the world, and not born-again Christians, that's a pretty sure sign that he's also of the world. If his message crosses over and includes all religions and peoplesin a universalistic view, it's of this world and not from heaven. If the world is the source of his teaching, then he's being led by a spirit of error, a spirit of deception.

Christians need to listen to prophets who are inspired by the Spirit of Truth. Remember, Satan is a liar, as has already been mentioned he's the father of all lies and liars. It also says in John 8:44 that when Satan is lying, "he speaks his native language." A worldly message is given to deceive us, to turn us away from Yahweh's Truth. Lies are spoken to try to appease our fleshly nature, and all too often we allow them to do just that.



In a classic episode of the TV show The Twilight Zone from 1960 called "The Howling Man," we find a deep truth revealed. An American on a walking trip through central Europe gets caught in a raging storm. Staggering through the blinding rain, he chances upon an imposing medieval castle. It's a hermitage for a brotherhood of monks. The reclusive monks reluctantly take him in. Later that night, the American discovers a cell with a man locked inside. An ancient wooden staff bolts the door. The prisoner claims he's being held captive by the insane head monk, Brother Jerome. He pleads for the American to release him.

The prisoner's kindly face and gentle voice win the American over. He confronts Brother Jerome, who declares that the prisomer is actually none other than Satan, the "father of lies," held captive by the Staff of Truth, the one barrier he can't pass. This incredible claim convinces the American that Jerome is indeed insane. As soon as he gets the chance, he releases the prisoner - who immediately transforms into a hideous, horned demon and vanishes in a puff of smoke.

The stunned American is horrified at the realization of what he's done. Brother Jerome responds sympathetically. "I'm sorry for you, my son. All your life you will remember this night and whom you have turned loose upon the world." The American replies, "I didn't believe you. I saw him and didn't recognize him." To which Jerome solemnly observes, "That is man's weakness, and Satan's strength."

This is a good story for us to remember. Satan can transform himself into very benign and beautiful forms, but it's always a lie. His demons can do the same. We must have spiritual discernment. We must seek after and covet Yahweh's Truth. That's the only way for us to know the true from the false. We have no excuse for not recognizing the devil or his demons. Yahweh has given us everything we need to be rightly discerning.

John made a simple statement in his letter. "Whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us." We must be progressing in our knowledge of Yahweh. We must be learning to recognize and understand the things that come from Yahweh to us. We need to work at observing how our heavenly Father works in our world. We need to be experiencing his activity and becoming involved in it. We need to get to know him so well that we can't be fooled by a counterfeit.

We'll clearly recognize evil when we get to clearly recognizing Yahweh. What is untrue and worldly will be easily discerned because we've become knowledgeable about our Creator and his ways. The evil counterfeits offered by the devil and his horde will be quickly discerned and avoided if we know our Lord and Master well.



John references his apostolic authority. He wasn't being arrogant or pompous. He literally walked with Jesus. He'd been inside the empty tomb. He'd preached the Gospel for almost 60 years. He'd suffered for the faith. He was the last living member of the twelve chosen by Jesus as his disciples. He was the last person with experiential knoweldge of the facts about Jesus. When John dismissed the false prophets as enemies of Yahweh, he really did have the authority to do so. We must be ready to walk in this kind of authority.

So how do we recognize false prophets? Mostly by what they say and by who their listeners are. But most importantly by knowing Yahweh's Word and ways well enough to recognize the false from the counterfeit. Contrast the Truth you know from the Bible with what you suspect to be false teaching. When the Word of our Lord obviously is different from what's being spoken by a teacher, know that they are false because God's Word isn't. When you realize this, expose the false. You may end up being the one run out, but if the people don't deal with the false teacher you need to leave anyway. Let the Holy Spirit guide you to where you can be nurtured by the teaching of Yahweh's Truth.

We have the Holy Spirit residing in our hearts. We have the Bible, the fullness of Yahweh's revealed Word to us. We have each other for encouragement and to uphold what has been passed down to us through the ages. With all these resources at hand we can discern false teaching. The resources for growth, strength, and discernment are available to every follower of Jesus who takes advantage of them and uses them. Don't be deceived like the man in the Twilight Zone episode. All Christians are able to discern good and evil if they'll obediently follow their Lord and Master. 1 Thes 5:21-22 tells us, "Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil."



Blessings & Peace, Mike

Gnostic Mind Traps (7/19/10)

Shalom,




Please begin by reading Col 2:18-23.



The problem Paul is dealing with in his letter to the Colossians is Gnosticism. Gnostics were very spiritual minded, but without any restraint. If you had a dream or a vision or a revelation, there was no way to refute your insight. They didn't have a standard to go by like the Bible. But this version of Gnosticism being dealt with was a hybrid brand. It combined elements of Jewish and Greek thought, which wasn't often done back then.

1 Cor 1:20 includes this statement from Yahweh. "Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?" The most brilliant men can't appreciate the plan of our Creator without spiritual insight. Being an esteemed scholar won't necessarily get you the answers so many are asking, but being an honest God-seeker will. Yahweh's wisdom and understanding is perfect and complete. Man's wisdom and understanding is partial and limited.



One of the strong points of this localized Gnostic teaching was angel worship. They believed man was totally unworthy to approach God, so the mediators between heaven and earth were angels. Therefore, angels must be submitted to and worshiped in their way of thinking. According to their teaching, angels were used by Yahweh to bring the world of matter into being. The Bible clearly speaks that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit didn't need the help of any nagels during the Creation. So these Gnostics felt the means for redeeming mankind from the bondage of material influence was through angels.

These false teachers were saying that you could achieve perfection while here on earth. But to do so, you had to progress through a number of initiations and levels of wisdom in spiritual mysteries. It had a similar system to the current Masonic levels. This "salvation" of sinful man had nothing to do with Jesus and his atoning death on the cross. It took him completely out of the picture. This emotional journey was as appealing to humans then as it continues to be today.

The past ten to twenty years has brought our society a fascination with angels. There have been numerous TV shows about miraculous angelic assistance. Books and novelty items abound with angelic themes. But much of this focus is without biblical insight and wisdom. Much of it has a fairy tale nature or is New Age in nature. It seems odd to me that it's okay to believe in the angels, but not the God who created them.

There was also an intellectual trap built into this Gnostic heresy. The great promise to those overcoming the flesh was knowledge. After they experienced the angelic visions, they were told they would receive "special" knowledge. Only certain people were allowed into this level of knowledge. It was a very elitist group, and required the outsider to seek access from an insider.

They held rituals and ceremonies to reveal this knowledge to one another. It sounds very much like secret socities still in existence today. In this type of group you can't know the secrets until you progress through the levels or degrees. This is an insidious way to maintain control over people. It's also a snobbish thrill. "I know something you don't know," and "you haven't attained to my level yet" are ego-stroking things these types of people say.



So the problem in Colossae was just another diversion to get people away from the sufficiency of Jesus. Here's their three-point attack on the essentials of the Christ. First, the Gnostics maintained that you can overcome sin by consistently punishing the body, but that's only a religious trap. Denying the body its desires only arouses them. Neglecting the body doesn't nourish the spirit. Second, they said you can experience angels and have visions to attain to higher spiritual levels. And each time you have these experiences you're moved to higher spiritual plane. This is an emotional trap, playing off our desires to be special or above the crowd. The intellectual trap is the third. They said you can have knowledge that nobody else has. But who decides if this special knowledge is valid or worth knowing? Why, only the leaders of your group, of course.

Today's church has fallen into the same traps. There are many churchgoers who are caught up in the performance mentality. a lot of people think "I've got to do something in order to be special." This thinking leads them to gauge their spirituality on how often they attend church or some other unbioblcal standard. Many look to outdo those around them in some sort of measurable category so they can appease their own conscience by finding others "lower" than themselves.

How many people have been snared by the emotional trap? "I've had a vision." "I've seen an angel." This leads to spiritual pride based on their individual mystical experiences. Thinking yourself more spiritual than others because of your experiences leads to jealousy and competition in the church. This is especially found in cultish groups. We've got to be wary of "experience-based" spirituality without throwing out the fact that experiences with our Lord and Savior are vital to our growth in faith and true spiritual knowledge. Make sure your experiences can be backed up by the Scriptures.

The intellectual trap is rampant in our day. we've all seen the aloofness of someone who pretends to know more than anyone else. They constantly talk about their maturity or insight or training. I found a ministry leader who calls this the "twilight zone syndrome." People who fall into this trap often are strange and unusual like a Twilight Zone episode. Their version of reality is "out there" and not verifiable by others. This person has an unteachable spirit, and their attitude works against the unity Jesus prayed for us to have.

Another thing the Gnostics bring us is tolerance to the extreme. There's a program at Brown University called "Responding to Terrorism: Challenges for Democracy." Student readings emphasize that Islam "is a religion that values family and tolerance," and that "throughout much of history, Muslims have lived peacefully with followers of other religions." Well, maybe they would, but after they've conquered much of the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe in holy wars things weren't great for "other" religions. Currently, Christians are being persecuted in places like Sudan and Saudi Arabia, and they would tell you Islamic tolerance is almost non-existent. This "Islam is peaceful" message was reinfocred at the University of North Carolina. Freshmen were told to read selections from the Koran, peaceful selections. The parts about how it's the duty of Muslims to kill Jews, Christians, and other infidels somehow got left out.

We can't stand by as the tolerance troops tell us we''re not allowed to judge people who blow up themselves, other people, and buildings for "the cause." We must teach that true tolerance doesn't mean accepting everyone's beliefs, but hearing them. Not suppressing our own beliefs, but speaking truth with conviction.



Solomon said it well in Ecclesiastes, "there is nothing new under the sun." The false teachers that plagued Colossae wanted to take the people's minds captive with thes false doctrines. Instead of Jesus helping us conquer our flesh, instead of finding full satisfaction in him, instead of his Word emlightening our hearts; these teachers offered a counterfeit.

The methods being used today are exactly the same. We need to be on guard at all times so that we don't fall into these traps. They're same old tricks in a new wrapper. There's nothing truly new about the New Age teachings. They aren't what we need to learn or accept as we seek to know our Lord and Savior better.

Jesus is sufficient for our every need. His death on the cross is enough to set us free from sin and help us overcome the flesh. His Word is sufficient to help us see through the emotional and intellectual traps. Trust in Yahweh and his Word. Believe in your heart and confess with your mouth the truth of Yahweh found in Jesus Christ.



Blessings & Peace, Mike

Sacrifice (7/12/10)

Shalom,




Please begin by reading Rom 12:1.



We have a tendency to think that because the sacrificial system is no longer in effect that we can avoid the subject of sacrifice. But Rom 12:1 clearly speaks to our need of ongoing sacrifice. The word "living" is related to resurrection, so the impression I get is that we must die and be raised to new life every day. Doesn't this go along with the words of Jesus in Luke 9:23? "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross DAILY and follow me." So for us to off-handedly reject having to make sacrifices isn't a biblcal position. The fully biblical position is that we live a life of sacrifice unto our Lord and Master. That sacrifice comes in many shapes and flavors, but it is most definitely a part of our Christian walk.



To help us get a better grasp of sacrifice under the Mosaic system, here's how a man would make a guilt offering for ceremonial uncleanness according to Lev 5. We'll begin in Hebron with a man who sells milk and cheese for a living. As he's working in the fields one day he accidentally touches the carcass of a raven when he's moving some brush. Yes, that's all he has to do is touch it, and even if it's a total and complete accident he must make a proper sacrifice. He's now required to pick a female goat from his flock and take it to Jerusalem and offer it to atone for his ceremonial impurity.

Hebron is about 18 miles from Jerusalem, in what's called the "hill country." It's a rather treacherous road he'll have to travel. If it takes him longer than one day to make the trip, he'll likely spend one night in Bethlehem which is along the way. It'll take up to five days away from his home and business to fulfill the requirements of the Law. So never mind that you touched a dead bird and must be concerned with disease, you also have to disrupt your business for up to five days to satisfy the requirements of the sacrificial Law.

To begin with he must pick an unblemished animal from his flock, and it must be one of his best. So he must pick one who is a source of income, either a good milk producer or a good breeder. If he chooses a "lesser" animal, he's not sincerely seeking the removal of his guilt, and Yahweh will know this. The point of sacrifice is we have to feel the loss.

So now he travels to Jerusalem. He must be wary of bandits along the way, and he must protect his offering from any harm. If the goat gets a cut or harms a hoof, it would then be unacceptable for sacrifice. If that's the case, he would then have to buy an animal for sacrifice while he's Jerusalem, and you know that won't be cheap. If he's blessed, there may be a caravan of merchangts to travel with, but if not he must trust Yahweh for his protection.

When he arrives at the Temple, first he must perform a ritual mikvah, a bath to cleanse and purify himself from the filth of the road. He likely has brought a change of clothes along so he'll be presentable for entering the Temple. Ritual purification became very intense and more nit-picky as time went on. The worst of it happened under the highly legalistic Pharisees.

Now he must present the goat for preliminary inspection in the Outer Court. The priest will look for any obviously external physical defects. He looks at everything visible. He'll check the hooves, the mouth, the ears, and the parts we prefer not to speak of for any blemish. If a blemish is found, the goat is unacceptable and the man must go buy another one. Think of the disappointment this would be after the long journey with this animal.

If the goat passes the external inspection, the man now takes it into the Inner Court to the Slaughter Place of Burnt Offerings, or as we know it better the Altar of Burnt Sacrifice. The goat is cut open and all its internal organs are inspected for blemish. The reason for the external and then the internal inspection is that guilt offerings were for both internal and external cleansing. If anything is wrong with the liver or any other organ the goat is again unacceptable. Imagine getting to this point and being denied. Your goat is now dead and you must either go back and get another one from your flock or you must buy one in Jerusalem. And know that the lines are long, so it will most likely cost you another day to have to make the purchase and go through the whole process again.

If the goat is acceptable it's placed on the Altar of Burnt Offering. The Talmud says that if the sacrifice is accepted by Yahweh that as the smoke rose the image of a lion would come and consume the offering. If it wasn't acceptable, a north wind would blow and the image of a dog would be seen. The accepted or unaccepted person would be confronted with the true fear of Yahweh because of what they've seen.

The sacrifice of the animal displays the nephesh or soulish part of us as humans. Without our spirits being made alive, our being is centered in our soulishness. Animals are strictly soulish, being driven by instinct and selfish need. The picture is that we sacrifice the flesh to make our spirits alive. If we remain as soulish people, we remain disconnected from our Father and in danger of living by instinct and selfish need.

I won't go into detail about the clean-up of the sacrificial area, but think about being the Levite who gets that duty for the day. He must collect all the "offal." Offal is the dung and intestinal contents of the sacrificed animals. Anything that's not part of the sacrifice had to be brought outside the city, through the Dung Gate to a place where it's burned. Let your own imagination help you with the sight and smell of this.



Lev 1:2 says, "When any of you brings an offering to Yahweh." The wording would be better translated, "when you bring YOU as an offering." The offering under the Mosaic system was to be identified directly with us and our sin. The offering we make now is us, our whole nephesh must die to be brought back to eternal life. And be careful how you scorn the sacrificial system, Paul still made animal sacrifices after he became a Christian. Check out Acts 17 and the fulfillment of his Nazirite vow.

But isn't that the picture of Rom 12:1 that we bring US as an offering to our Father. This is our "reasonable act of worship." Reasonable is the Greek word logikos, you know it as the logical thing to do. It's the right spiritual thing to do. It's the only reasonable way to approach our Creator. It's what a truly right thinking person does.

Now, how about us and sacrifice? Churchgoers are likely to say we have grace so we don't have to make sacrifices. Phil 4:18 says, "They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God." Paul directly connects our rightful giving and service to being a burnt offering. How can the smell of burning hair and flesh be fragrant to Yahweh? It's because the burning is happening due to our hearts rightly honoring him, obeying him enough to die.

According to 1 Cor 3:16 our bodies are the Temple of Yahweh now. We don't have to travel long distances to take an animal to the Temple to be sacrificed. Whenever we realize we've sinned, we can go directly to Yahweh and sacrifice ourselves on his altar. Jesus, our high Priest, is right there to inspect us and determine whether or not our sacrifice is acceptable. And if it is we get a direct infusion of his grace and mercy. That's our major advantage over the old sacrificial system. We have direct access to cleansing anywhere we are and anytime we need it.

But is it easier for us? I don't believe so. I think it would be much easier to go through the external process of offering an animal in my place. Right now I have to regularly admit my failure and honestly repent before my Lord and Savior. I must sacrifice my ego on his altar to receive his grace and mercy. That takes a lot of effort for all of us humans. Overcoming our sinful nature is a struggle and a long-term issue.

When we honestly confess our sins and seek his cleansing, our Father is Yahweh, not Elohim. Yahweh was used in relation to sacrifices because it refers to mercy. Elohim wasn't used because it refers to justice and judgment. Do any of you want to face the Great God Almighty when you've sinned? Or do you prefer Yahweh your Father who's filled with mercy and grace?



Our redemption comes through an atoning sacrifice. Jesus was the Lamb of God who gave his life to purchase our pardon from the condemnation we all deserve. He's our burnt offering because his sacrificial death was done completely to atone for us and our sins. We must rely on the words of Heb 10:14. "By one sacrifice Jesus has made perfect forever those who are being made holy." Seek him and accept his holiness, that's why he died.



Blessings & Peace, Mike