Saying Vs. Doing

John 21:17  "He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep."

At church last evening the question to the congregation was "Do you love Jesus?" Everyone said they did! I said it to myself for a reason which will shortly be divulged.

This question has been asked many times before, but the time of most notoriety was when it was asked by Jesus himself! "Simon... lovest thou me?" asked Jesus of Simon Peter. His amswer, just as everyone last night, was "I love thee". Jesus heard, but I'm not sure he believed for he said "Feed my sheep." In essence, Jesus said "You say it; then do it!" The proof is in the pudding as we would say now!

Jesus was there in the flesh. He was easy to love because he had everything going for him to be loved. Peter surely could have put his arms around Jesus and hugged him tightly. Peter could have, if he loved him as much as he said, have anointed the feet of Jesus just as this woman did before:

Luke 7:44 "And he (Jesus) turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. 45 Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little."

"Love" is more than an emotion. It is a "work". It takes DOING to love another person. This woman loved Jesus. She demonstrated it with her tears, the washing of his feet, dried them with her own hair, kissed his feet and anointed his them. What did Simon Peter do? Nothing!  We don't know why for sure, but this woman loved Jesus so much because Jesus had forgiven her of so much!

Simon had been a mere fisherman when he was recruited by Jesus. We have little idea what kind of man he was, but he surely knew scripture well. It is conceivable that Simon was a righteous man, a hard worker and probably faithful to God. As such, he was chosen, not only as an apostle, but to build a church:

Matthew 16:15 "He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

So here we have it: Peter at first failed to show love, then he professed his belief in Jesus because God had  revealed it to him and he was the chosen instrument to grow the church. After all this divine intervention, Peter had not been "saved" from much because he had not been a chief sinner as had Paul. Sure he was a sinner, but his sins were few in comparison to the woman who anointed Jesus' feet. Out of gratitude she demonstrated her love, but Peter didn't. Who loved Jesus the most? Jesus knew who did! It was the woman.  That's why Jesus asked of Simon "Lovest thou me?"

Jesus wanted some love! In essence, he was saying 'Show me your love!" Peter's job was to grow a church. How was he to do that "Feed my sheep." said Jesus. Now we need to look at how to feed the sheep. First of those sheep are us... mankind. Before we follow the Good Shepherd we must be gathered into the herd. It takes work to do that! We show love by DOING! Love is hard work!

Before sheep come into the fold all fear must be gone. They sense the love of the shepherd. How was Peter to show Jesus how much he loved him? By loving others; his "sheep"!

Whereas Peter didn't know how to love, John did! He was noted as "the apostle who loved Jesus"! He's called "John the Beloved". What was it that John shared about love:

1 John 5:2 "By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments."

We know that we're Christians when we do things for God! How did John know that? Jesus told him:

 John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

That brings up the question, "What are his commandments?" It's loving God and loving others.

 Matthew 22:37 "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."

Jesus makes a connection here. We show our love to him by loving others. That's a WORK since it's a command. It's hard work, but to demonstrate our love, that's what we are ordered to do! What Jesus was saying is "Peter, if you love me. Prove it by loving others!"

Therefore, if we love Jesus it's more than saying so! Peter did that, but he later denied Jesus three times. His love was lip-service. It was all saying with no doing. Of course later, Peter learned to love, but Jesus taught him how to do that by dying for him and all mankind. Peter turned out to be a loving apostle and gathered the sheep. Peter later loved Jesus by DOING what he SAID.

Now back to last night. Everyone automatically repeated the mantra "I love Jesus". Some there I know don't love me. I am hard to love, I admit, because my sins are many. I'm too proud, too arrogant, too much of a know-it-all, as is nearly all the others. When they said "I love Jesus!" my thoughts were "Then show it; love others!"

This is not all about me. I don't deserve love, but I sort of like it. I love others and it's nice to be loved back! However, I know the hearts of some. They gossip, they ridicule, they play favorites, they show their love to some, but not others; and frankly, if they truly love others; it's hard to see that they do.

I didn't want to say "I love Jesus." so others could hear because others may hold something against me. They may "feel" that I'm not a loving person. They may make that assumption and think "Larry says that he loves Jesus, but he doesn't love me!" I don't want anyone to think that. I tell Jesus that I love him by loving others. It's easy to say, but difficult to DO!

Likewise, when others say "I love Jesus.", I think "Then do it!". In other words those who fail to show love to others, even when they say they love Jesus, lose their credibility just as Peter lost his. "Peter, you say that you love me, but then you show me no love!"

Most people in the church can say "I love Jesus!" because they demonstrate it with love. I have some of the best friends in church that I've ever had. They show love for me, my family and anyone who walks through the door. I am blessed by those there who truly love me. However, even if one person at church holds something against me and I can't reconcile with them, it's a thorn in my side. Before I bring my offering to the altar, I must make amends even if I'm not the one at fault (Matthew 5:23-26).

I take reconciliation seriously! I cannot go on as everything is A-OK when I know that a brother is at odds with me for whatever reason. On the other hand, if they have something against me and have not reconciled, they are not demonstrating love. "George lovest thou me?" If George doesn't, how can he say "Jesus, I love you.".

Because others don't love me, it impedes on being of one accord before the Holy Ghost joins us (Acts 2). To be of one accord essentially means that the church is to be a loving institution where the fold is loving and differences are reconciled. I believe that before any Christian can be anointed to speak boldly for the Lord, he must be reconciled with all. Maybe that's just me, but I believe genuine love for each other is essential for Christians to truly love Jesus!

My reason for not saying "I love Jesus." out loud. Because I'm not reconciled to everybody. Reconciliation is both parts of the two parts. Only one person can't be reconciled. It takes two. My prayer is that we can all be of one accord in the church; that we can all "feed his sheep" together!

 

Shiny Objects

There is truth and right all around you, but among all that's good are shiny objects. They are many and shine so brightly that all that's good and truthful are mere blurs. Shiny objects are what the devil places everywhere like eggs of Easter Sunday to dazzle the children in us. Those shiny objects may be many things, but it's their radiance was captures those easily distracted.

Shiny objects appeal to us all! It's inherited for we all are a composite of all who came before us. Since Adam's blood still flows in each of our veins, we have genes which predispose us to shiny objects. For Adam the "shiny object" was the forbidden fruit. He wanted to know what God knew and as such the devil proclaimed "you shall be as gods". His shiny object was god-hood. A major Christian heretical sect offers the promise of being God on ones own planet is the shiny object of some.

Shiny objects are anything which attracts the eye of a person and distracts from the things which appear to have less luster. Shiny objects glow from the surface of superficial things with what's ugly still inside. Many objects are dull until they're polished and then shine gloriously! It takes wisdom and insight to identify what is truly shiny inside while ignoring the shallow layer of brilliance on the outside. The ability to shield oneself from shiny objects is called "discernment".

"Discernment"is in a practical sense, having the ability to quit gazing at what's shiny and look at things from a less jaundiced viewpoint. In Christianity, it's looking for rightness and truth hidden behind the things the flesh desires.

For some beauty is the shiny object. Man's kryptonite has always been desire for sexual gratification. Usually it's proportional to the person whose beauty is most radiant. For normal men women are the "shiny object" and the more beauty she has the more shiny the object and the stronger the longing to be satiated with her radiance. A discerning person looks beyond what's outward to the beauty within. Sure, she can still be shiny on the exterior, but for that shine to be radiant, she must have inner beauty. The chore is to ignore the outward shine and look at the whole "diamond". It may sparkle, but have carbon inside which dulls is translucence. The suitor is best advised to get close and with a loupe look within that beautiful diamond of a woman and see what's inside!

To be truthful, when I first met her my wife, she was a mere shiny object. She matched the mental image of my desire which my mind created. I found my shiny object when I wasn't even looking. "I found her!" I thought. What if it had been her evil twin sister we now joke about? I would have ended up with a rock with foil wrapped around it. I sometimes refer to myself as "shallow",  but I'm actually insightful. Before I married my mate I looked deeply within. She was beautiful throughout. Sure there is some "carbon" in there because we all have it, but that minor darkness was obliviated by the superb indices a true diamond has! I got not only beauty, but it was not her evil twin sister. She was my soulmate!

Adultery is looking too long at the shiny object. The devil puts those shiny objects everywhere. The entertainment industry is full of them and many women who we encounter every day are splinters from those shiny object. Satan wants them to be aplenty so  that we stare constantly at what's shiny. Sometimes people look at the shiny objects so intensely that their own mate seems to lose her shine. It's still there, even when the dazzle leaves the surface! If we look at our mates with the will of God in our eyes, we still see the luster from within. God polishes that woman with scripture and for the woman to remain lustrous inside, a daily polishing is needed!

What I say for women applies to men as well. However, men shine differently than women on the outside, but the sparkle inside is the same. When we see a beautiful woman with an uncomely man, we don' see a shiny object there, but she is looking more closely at the sparkle within!

Satan uses money to be shiny objects. He uses power and prestige; even job opportunities and promotions. They can all be shiny objects. In GM my shiny object at one time was "promotion". Most of us desired that. I was offered eleven promotions all of which I turned down because I looked beyond the brilliance and saw the darkness inside. Promotion would take me to places I didn't want to be such as Detroit. Not only that, but God and family were my priorities, and promotions would pale them in comparison! I turned my head from the shiny object and things turned out well! God provides for those who quit staring at shiny things.

Shiny things are doctrines too! It seems to be the easy routes to heaven. There is a gate for the pilgrim to walk. It''s a plain and narrow gate. It's simple and uncomplicated. It's by grace that we enter that gate because of the blood on it's posts. It's not attractive at all and persecution is assured. On the other hand, there is a wide gate. It's the "shiny object" which attracts most people!

Matthew 7:13 "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat..."

Jesus (who said this) was pointing at the gate without the shiny object. It's the wide gate and the broad path which most people take. The "shine" is the deception that the wide gate is the easy route; the one without  obedience and perseverance. The shiny object is on the wide gate of disobedience and pleasure. The shine which attracts is to believe whatever it is you choose to believe and you can enter the gate. The shine is to wait until the last minute to submit, knowing that the last minute will never come. The shiny object is also that God overlooks sins even when you're not sorry. The shiny object is that God is only love and never punishment. The shiny object is that Christianity is all prosperity, and on and on!

That wide gate with the shiny object doesn't lead to heaven. It's the path of destruction!

Temptation is when the devil scatters his shiny objects so that they get your attention. When one shiny object is taken, he just scatters more until you live for shiny objects!

Shiny objects are deceptions. They are things which you believe will make you happy or provide pleasure. Inside these shiny objects is bitter gall. You pick them up, dine on them and then the taste is not very satisfying. You look for more shiny objects, hoping to get satisfied. In fact the devil scatters them around prolifically! The path is made wide by shiny objects strewn all around. That path is the way to destruction, but the foolish go there anyway!

Discernment is using  a sword to test these shiny objects before they are picked up and taken with you. It's the word of God which is the sword and it's to test everything!

1 Thessalonians 5:21 "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good."

When you see that shiny object it offers something for your pleasure. Pick it up, bite on it to test it, but never chew. It may kill you! Shiny things are most often hazardous to your health and are put in your way for you to self-destruct. Sure, it may be a drug or something of that nature, but usually the shiny object is more subdued. It may be wrong doctrine or even the type of music which shines forth at you! You must test it with scripture!

Scripture does offer one shining object. It's Light which shines forth truth. The Light is Jesus Christ and he outshines even the brightest shiny object. However, other shiny objects are seen with the eyes even closed, but to see this shiny object you must open your eyes to see the Light!  Open those eyes; look around; it's Jesus who is the brightest "shiny object" and he encloses truth. There is no darkness in him!

Barbarians in Chicago?

Acts 28:3 "And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand. 4 And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live. 5 And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm. 6 Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god."

Paul, the soldiers and the other prisoners were saved from the sunken ship without a loss of life. They were rescued to Melita, which was occupied by barbarians, who by the way, treated them with kindness!  Barbarians aren't necessarily murderers, but are uncivilized primitive people. As such their view of God was the lenses of nature. They were as little children.

Sometimes, it's easier to convince children of truth than it is the most mature and educated because time and society have instilled unto them wrong ideas which are difficult to overcome. On the other hand, child-like people can be easily misled or even misunderstand truth because they have not the background to reason things out. It's easy to see the fickleness of the barbarians in the passages above because one minute Paul was 'a murderer" and the next minute "a god". Their minds easily switched gears as new evidence emerged. They were ripe for being deceived, but they too were ripe for becoming Christians.  We don't know which they did, but Paul was accepted, but it was not his desire that he be recognized for what God did.

 Ephesians 4:14 "That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;"

Paul wasn't being "cunning and crafty", but others could easily be. The barbarians were just like the ship which had just sunk and from which Paul and company escaped. They were tossed "to and fro" just as the ship had been by the forces of nature. In this case, the storm could be doctrine and "newbies" are gullible. They fail to test what they hear!

You see there was enough "evidence" because a snake, by coincidence bit Paul to condemn him, but when there was no harm he was venerated. That's child-like and even superstitious reasoning, and without civil knowledge people are molded easily. Controlling people know how to control people without discernment! Barbarians have a herd mentality. They go to be fed with no evidence of food just as cattle do!

This brings me to comment on modern times. Let's look at what happened last night in Chicago. Let's look at what happened in Ferguson. Let's look at the appeal of socialism by Barney Sanders.

The masses are barbarians. Not that they are uncivilized although some act as if they are. There's just something missing; it's a mature thought process. Because some don't care for Donald Trump they make accusations. For instance he's called a "racist" although he's never shown racism. He's called "dangerous" even though he has never endangered anyone. These mantras, and that's all they are, jeopardizes the context of those words because simple minded people so easily label others. The liberal M.O. is to name-call when they have no valid arguments to make.

The barbarians called Paul "a murderer" with  no evidence that he ever murdered. (They had no idea that he had killed people before he was converted). Simple minds do simple things! They name-call and label! Compare this to those who disrupted Ferguson. They were barbarians! Even greater than name-calling was their destruction of their own property.  This is the behavior of barbarians.

Look at Chicago last evening. Those who profess "freedom of speech" did all they could to stop free speech! Along with that was hate-filled name-calling and accusations on signs. Paul was called "a murderer" when he actually saved all those lives by the power of God, and Trump is called "a racist" because he believes that America must enforce the laws which their own government instituted!  You see the name-calling trivializes the term "racist" because it's misapplied. When the true racist comes along, the term will no longer have an impact.

Chicago last night had a bunch of haters who claimed to hate the hater. Trump never hated them, but they hated him because they disagreed with what he said. It seems that those in Chicago were childlike in their thinking, having not the ability for some to even know what it was they were hating! For others they were barbarians. They showed it by their name-calling and attitudes. I've even had Christians tell me that "Trump is a monster!" Why so? Because he brought forth ideas to which this Christian opposed!

By now you're thinking, "This guy is a Trump supporter." I voted for Ted Cruz. I like him the best. At the start I cared little for Trump because I knew little about where he is right now. Paul had been a murderer, but he changed. The Barbarians didn't know that, so they called him a murderer. People can change. Trump was never "a monster", but maybe worse, at one time he was pro-abortion. I believe those people are the "monsters"! Now he's pro-life. The monster has been tamed and Trump survived the snake's bite. The more these hate-filled barbarians in Chicago and elsewhere show therir barbarism, the more Trump's candidacy makes sense. The rule of law has become servile to the barbarians. Political correctness has replaced truth. Civilization has been lost to barbarism!

Before a mob assembles, they must ask, "What organization is running the show and what are their motives?" They must never follow the pack for the sake of being part of the pack. Discerning people would ask "Who organized this?" before they participated. What if it was the KKK, they would be following people who were using them for propaganda. In the case of Chicago, they were being manipulated by Hillary's supporters, moveon.org for the benefit of socialism, a deceitful group with an agenda! Last night these protesters were the ones bitten by the snake. The snake worked his bite through George Soros's organization it appears and he has the fangs of Marx.

Marx emerged from his fire in hell and bit them all. Socialism is "hate". Their doctrine is full of hate. Their desire is to destroy civilization and rule with iron-fist control. Their objective is to destroy capitalism which made us great, the unity of families, the sacredness of marriage, the sanctity of life, the wealthy who provide the initiative to make the nation prosper and all the while create class warfare and the war between the sexes. It's socialism and their snakes who are the monstesr from the fire. It's evil socialists like Hillary and Bernie who divide to conquer. You see those barbarians on the street were led out there by deception. They were as little children who could be swayed to and fro and controlled by a monster from the fiery pits of hell.

Paul's story was about "good". He was showing god's miracles, yet the child-like barbarians didn't understand. They weren't discerning because of their ignorance. One minute Paul is a murderer, the next he's a god. Those are the minds of simple people and those in Chicago, even the educated college elite have already been remolded by the very teachers in their universities abetted by the deceptive media. They are as gullible little children. They are barbarians by nature and fascists in reality. That's not just a name, but they repress those with whom they disagree.

Faking it!

People "fake" righteousness and are called hypocrites. Others sin because the flesh is weak. They repent and seek forgiveness, and as such, are failed Christians. It's not their lifestyle to love sin; it's their tug way from living right. Staying in tune with scripture is the antidote for going wrong.

On the other hand, there are entire churches which fail miserably. They are "fake" religions and are spoken of in scripture:

2 Peter 2:1 "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of."

They have "pernicious ways" and their teachers and prophets are false!  Their pernicious ways are the teaching of damaging falsehoods without detection. They are "under discerning radar" so to speak. There is a shield which they envelopes them to legitimatize  their falsehoods. Paramount among these "churches" are those who teach the ways of Satan disguised by throwing out the name of Jesus. Radar doesn't seem to penetrate the shield and gullible people are misled.

You have heard little of this denomination because it's small, but it has a great voice. Discerning people would never attend this church, but some still fall under it's sway. Others attend because they are fooled into believing "It's just another Christian denomination."; which it IS NOT!

I'm referring to Unitarian-Universalism whose false prophets seem to always be there when the camera is rolling, the pictures taken and the writers writing. They permeate the news with their heresies! Tonight even in our local newspaper, the Bowling Green Daily News, is  published this (see link: LET IT GO).

The local church claims that 20% are "Christians". By their own admission 80% are NOT Christians! They follow what scripture says is "other gods". They're pagans disguised as a legitimate "church". Scripture pins the tail on the wolf for us:

Matthew 7:15 "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves."

The preacher may wear a frock as of sheep, but the material is of a hirsute canine! Beware!

Of those 20% who claim to be Christians, they can't be! It's because if they were, they would not be there! It's syncretic and wrong! It's what the Hebrew people were punished for in their rebellion! It's what James warned about:

James 3:12 "Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh."

For those who read this article. Look for scripture. Look for God. Scripture is sterilized of truth and JHVH God is rarely mentioned, let alone God in the flesh; Jesus the Christ!

 

Missing

"What is missing? the curious exclaim;  there before, it's not the same
There must be something missing, because it's lack is quietly hissing.
What is the missing thing? What is it whose absence fails to sing?
It's the thing that's missing now. It's now gone, but I wonder how.
When things are here, it's presence lacks a shed of tears,
but when the missing is totally gone, it's presence is for what we long.
The missing thing is different for all. It's the thing which once we saw.
It's what we loved and adored. It's what on once our attention poured.
Missing is the thing which once we had. It's what's now that makes us sad.
How can things gone be so missed? It's what's missing that once so blessed.
When it's present we notice not, but when it's gone it's what is sought!
When it's gone do not fret. It's never gone, but missing yet.
How can it be gone, but never lost? A thing whose pay was at so great a cost!
Have you found what it is that's gone? What once did sing that lovely song?
The thing that's missing has not a body. It never was proud nor was it haughty.
It could be good and it could be bad. It could be happy and could be sad.
The clues have now run their course. It has not mass nor has it force.
It's now time to reveal what is missed. What once did hug and often kissed!
It's our memories which are gone! It's what we remember when alone.
Time is a thief which betrays the best. It's bounty is reason and our zest!
It's memories which time steals, Memories now gone... once so real.

Do Not Fear: Be of Good Cheer!

Are you in a storm this instant? Do you feel alone? Do you live in fear because everything seems to be sinking around you? Well, "be of good cheer"! The storm will subside and you can be saved from the turbulence which surrounds you. "Do not fear"!

Acts 27:21 "But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.
22 And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship.
23 For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,
24 Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.
25 Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.
34 Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you.
35 And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat.
36 Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat.
37 And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls.
44b And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land."

Paul appealed unto Caesar when he was accused of teaching against God by speaking of the Resurrection. He would have been freed if he had not made the appeal. It seems that he made a truly bad decision, but his mind was not his own; it belonged to God. Paul was to go to Rome for God's purpose because God knew what was best to make the young church grow. As Jesus died for me, that message came to me because of Paul. If he had not went to Europe we can't assume that someone would have, for Paul was the chosen vessel to spread his word. Here in the west we are Christians because Paul endured persecution so that the world would know about Jesus. It worked!

Now, in the scripture above, we see that  the entourage is ready to embark to Rome. It was not a simple trip in those times, but during mild weather, the trip was long, but safe. However, it seems that the trip would be perilous as they are ready to depart for Paul warned them of catastrophe (verse 22). They failed to heed what he said and departed anyway.

Paul had "inside information" when he said "be of good cheer". His prophecy was that the ship would be destroyed, but no man would be harmed due to the high winds and storms which would come from the north east.  How did Paul know this? Jesus told him so! God still had a great mission for Paul and he wasn't about to let him die, and as a miracle for others, they would live as well!

Now how do I know it was Jesus who spoke to Paul? The Holy Ghost doesn't speak. That's "The Word's" part. Jesus is The Word. Look at what Paul said: "there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve." (verse 23). Who does Paul serve? Was he the Holy Ghost who he served? No; Paul served Jesus Christ. In verse 24 the angel of God spoke because Paul pointed out that he was "saying".  This encounter was audible. Sure, angels speak and they too are messengers, but Paul didn't serve angels. He served Jesus!

If he was an angel Paul would have said "an angel of God". Paul said it was "THE angel of God". There is a big difference because it was this specific messenger who wrestled with Jacob who said of THE angel of God "I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved" (Genesis 32:30b).

Jacob couldn't see God for no one can and live. He didn't see the Holy Spirit because he's spirit. It was the angel because Jacob said he was "God". It was the pre-incarnate Jesus who Jacob saw, the same Jesus who Paul saw at sea who now was in  a glorious body. This glorious body isn't constrained by time, by geography nor by barriers. He was just "there" when Paul needed him as he was just "there" when Paul was struck blind:

Acts 9:4 "...he (Paul) fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest..."

Paul saw Jesus and heard Jesus once, now he heard him again. The first time he appeared as a "shining light" (Acts 9:3), and the second time as "the angel". Angels are seen. Jesus "stood by" Paul (verse 23).  I believe in Jesus, but Paul SAW Jesus! I too would be of "good cheer" if Jesus appeared to me!

Jesus said "Fear not!", then said two things: 1) You Paul must appear before Caesar and 2) God has given you all those who sail with you (verse 24).

Why? Paul's purpose was to tell the western world about Jesus, and others became his helpers because of the miracle of "salvation" from death at sea. Jesus saved them all from the storm because he had a purpose for them all! Paul had a truly "purpose driven life" and he served God's purpose. The others joined him in that same purpose. The church grows when the storms are great and the turbulence intense!

Even with a terrible storm and the world around collapsing 276 our of 276 people were saved by Jesus that day because their lives were "purpose driven"!

God had a purpose for Paul and those heathens. No doubt 276 bodies were saved that day and with that, it appears that 276 people testified to what Jesus said. We don't know if all of the 276 were converted, but Jesus' death was not to save lives from death, but to save souls from "second deaths"! I believe he did both!

We live in a storm. If you're not "born again" right now the winds are strong, the seas turbulent and the abyss beneath your ship deep.

They all lived because Jesus lives, and we have the opportunity to live because Jesus shows that he can defeat death! I "exhort you to be of good cheer" because Jesus said "do not fear"!

On Politics

Of course Jesus Christ would never be a Democrat nor a Republican! He is 100% pure which means that he cannot be part of anything which is evil. Both parties have things which are unrighteous and each has unrighteous people. There are degrees of evil, all with the same penalty. (See my blog: GOOD AND EVIL).

God also set up a model government. His government consisted of judges. Since one person could never decide all cases, God recognizes that for there to be order, there must be a system. It was an imperfect system with godly men, but men who had faults as all men do.

The ideal government does have a monarch who remains silent, but has left a "law book' with which to govern. This King reigns and it's his law which is supreme and it is interpreted by a "chief justice" with underling justices. The law book is the Bible and it's based on standards, obedience, rewards, punishments, judgments, but foremost: mercy, grace and love.

The United States does not have that system, but our Constitution is patterned after that. Divine Providence was the authior, fairness the inspiration and freedom to worship God a right. The entire concept of America is based on "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness"and throwing off the yoke of bondage and unfair administration of justice.  (U.S. Declaration of Independence).

Our founders feared political parties. What was written in the founding documents was a guide for good government and the Bill of Rights was the insure equity and fairness. It was disagreement over what those articles and rights mean, which caused political parties to be formed. (i.e., It's in the interpretation wherein partisan politics arrives coupled with who desires the power).  Political parties are to gain power so those in the party do the controlling to meet their ends. Some in power care little for the goals, but having goals is nothing more than a means to gain power.

As such, political parties which are liberal with the Constitution have motives.  Those are to gain power, but to use the power for change. Conservatives endeavor to be original in the meaning of the Constitution, and also seek power to keep it that way. The former believes the Constitution is a living document which can be interpreted "liberally" to extol fairness. Conservatives believe it's already fair and see liberals as undermining the fairness already inherent in our laws. One proposes a "stretch of the faith" and the other is a "defender of the faith"; the faith being our Constitution, which provides rules and freedoms.

God gave us laws. Mankind needs regulation for our own protection and for civility. Unabridged liberty is chaos.

Judges 17:6  "In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes."

Because free men disobeyed  God's Laws they needed a system to maintain order. Those of early times were libertarians. They had utmost freedom, but chaos resulted.  The bondage of too much freedom is as bad as the enslavement of no freedom. Hence, libertarians are as dangerous as socialists!

Because men sought fairness with balanced scales of justice, they fought a revolution. Wealthy men sacrificed their wealth and lives so that the most could have a fair system. Our founder's concept of justice was the "right to life" and the ability to be free to enjoy it! That's what the war was all about, but they knew to protect life and happiness, which the corrupt would usurp, the people needed fair laws. The Constitution resulted, but in their wisdom "the people" saw opportunities for freedoms to be abridged. Hence, the Bill of Rights was added.  Those were added to protect freedoms. "Liberals" at that time ensured those freedoms were there because the "conservatives" (federalists) wanted to maintain a simulance of a monarchy which had been the status quo and had worked for centuries.

As time went on the roles reversed. Liberals became those who favored more laws and regulations using the pretense of "fairness" to make change. Those who had been conservative saw that the laws already in place guaranteed freedom. They became protectors of the freedom and became more liberal. This occurred in my belief, with the Civil War. The Republican Party was founded on the concept of more laws to ensure freedom to minorities. They became liberals, but their new liberalism resulted in more laws. The Democrats who had been liberal with it's Jeffersonian principles became the keeper of the status quo.

As time went on, the roles changed again. Democrats became those favoring "social justice" which the Republicans owned, but their methods were different. Democrats sought to bring about change (liberalism) by using existing laws to make the change (conservatism). When they found that change is slow using the extant laws, the Democrats imposed more laws. Since the laws they instituted seemed to be to make the nation more fair, others had to suffer to make things more fair for some. It was at this time that the Democrats became Progressives. It started with Woodrow Wilson, accelerated with F.D. Roosevelt and became logarithmic with L.B. Johnson.

Republicans continued to dabble in liberal politics, Theodore Roosevelt being the epitome of Progressivism. With Richard Nixon, the Progressive wing of the Republican Party fairly well died out.

What remains of both parties is a 180-degree reverse. While Democrats enslave with liberal policies whose intent is to free, the Republicans protect freedom by holding to the Constitution. Both parties are geared toward freedom and fairness, but they look at the means through different lenses. This is where God comes into the picture!

To find out what people stand for, it's best to examine what they write about their beliefs. Both the Democrats and the Republicans have party "platforms". It's their belief statements and are the doctrines of each party.

Since America is a nation because of the "right to life" and it's associated freedoms, we must look for that in those platforms. Since I am a Christian, the "sanctity of life" corresponds with the "right to life" in our Constitution.  There are other "rights", but since a  war was fought to protect that right, that's the patriotic and right viewpoint. Also, it's in agreement with science, humanity and divinity.

Any sane person must admit that there are not three states of existence: life, inertness, and something else. There are two! We know that unborn babies are far from inert with all their developing systems, and as such the gestating fetus is a stage of human life. It's not a parasite nor inert matter. That's science.

Humanists say they believe in human justice. As such humanists without regard to God see mankind as the most valuable form of existence. Unless they contradict their own doctrine, to be humanitarian they must favor life for humanity. If there is a contradiction a true humanitarian will favor life. That's how humanity should respect their own!

As far as divinity is concerned, it's easier! God created life and he demanded it's protection. He issued a commandment to protect life, "Thou shalt not kill." and even dictated penalties for those who abort life:

Exodus 21:2 If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart [from her], and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman's husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges [determine]. 23 And if [any] mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life,"

Because "life" is why we have a Constitution, the protection of life is the litmus test for what's right! As such, those who espouse abortion are wrong by science, by humanity and by divine authority. Not only that, but our own founders sought to protect life. We should first look at what the parties say about their own position on that fundamental right.

It's obscured with fair-sounding words, but the Democrat Platform favors abortion. Democrats defy God and recently sought to remove God from their platform. Only one usage of "God" remains in their platform.

On the other hand, the Republican Platform supports life. It seeks to protect living human beings from womb to a natural death. The key element of both platforms are on the issue of "life" but  the positions of each on life are in opposition.

There are other issues of lesser importance, but to Christians and normal people throughout the ages, marriage is an institution consisting of one man and one woman. The Democrat Platform goes against God again, but the Republican Platform goes with God!

When people run for office and vote in primaries they most often register as a Democrat or Republican. When fair minded people say "I'm a Republican" they signify that they agree with the tenets of the party and those candidates who call themselves Republicans. The implication is that they are pro-life and pro-traditional marriage. If they register or vote as Democrats, they are proclaiming that they are pro-abortion and pro-same-sex marriage. To say otherwise is to deny who they are!

Those with principals will not vote for the party or the candidate of that party who support things contrary to their own views. That is at best stupidity, but probably a lack of discernment because they do not test all things with Holy Scripture!

But, you say "There are ungodly Republicans too!". True there are, but it's the philosophy which matters since both parties have some evil, we must look at which has the least evil. Socialism, the de facto dogma of Democrats is founded on evil. Marx considered Christians no more than weak gullible fools, pretty much the same as Obama has expressed and Clinton professes. To the former, we merely cling to our guns and religion and the latter, we are right wing extremists!

Why do Christians still vote Democrat? It's either because of tradition, herd mentality, ignorance or a lack of discernment. Testing with scripture cures all these!