When The Cock Crows

Matt. 26: 34 “Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.”

When the Cock Crows

Every morning before the sun peeks it’s lovely head over the horizon I hear something off in the distance, a rooster bidding me good morning. I always think of those words Jesus said to Peter, that he would deny him three times before the cock crows.

I often think of the bustling world out there. People rising from bed, going off to work, eating, coming home, sleeping to do the same tedious routine over and over again. Many people get into the mundane routine daily denying Christ. They don’t think they’ve been denying Him because hey, they read the bible, pray for people, go to church. What else could there be?

I feel like I’ve been picking on the Christian faith lately and I’ve prayed about why God is calling me to write what I write. I get this answer, “Because they are denying Me.” Well thanks God, could you give me a little more to go with? Then I wake up, hear the cock crow and on my heart is writing as I breathe in the morning air.

What does God mean when He says they are denying me? Think about it, what did Jesus mean when He told Peter? He knew that His beloved Peter would claim not to know Him in his WORDS and his ACTIONS! One night Peter is declaring his undying love, claiming he’d walk through fire for Jesus, then when Jesus needed his support the most, he denied knowing Him.

This is what has become of the Christian faith. People claim to follow Christ but in all of their actions and words they are denying Him on a daily basis! Sure you can place a little fish bumper sticker on your car to declare you’re a Christian but as you load up the car with a case of beer, what is that SHOWING the world? That you’re just buying booze for your mother? Why not, she’s a Christian too, right?

I do understand the whole drinking in moderation but when it becomes a weekly bout of inebriation is that what the Bible meant when it said ‘drink and be merry’?

Luke 12: “And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.”

When Jesus declares ‘bridleth your tongue’ did he want you to cross your eyes and look at yourself sticking your tongue out? No! He meant that what comes out of your mouth will show your true identity in Christ. What you show the world is how you show Christ in you. The mask you hide behind in your daily routine is denying Christ. Imagine Peter when he wasn’t
surrounded by his friends in Christ, trembling and shaking when it came time to declare knowing Him. 

James 1:26 “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.”

Is drinking alcohol denying Christ? No. Is disobeying the Ten Commandments denying Him? Not at all. Is denying Jesus [in you] to the world denying Christ? You bet. 

Mark 12:30 “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.”

33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

The people of the world are so busy conforming, trying to fit in, and one-upping their neighbor for popularities sake, they lose the Christ in them and are content with just knowing Him. Here it is in a nutshell, just knowing Him is in essence denying Him. To love Him with all of the heart, all understanding, strength, and to love thy neighbor as you LOVE THY SELF! 

If you hate a person just because their values don’t agree with yours, that is hating your neighbor. I pray for the souls who don’t understand what it means to have Christ in them, shining out ward to the world so that the world sees Christ IN YOU! 

Matt. 10:33 “But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.”

While Jesus showed anger at the demoralizing of the church, He did not HATE the men [neighbor] who hung him on the cross. What you see around you in the world today is the cock crowing, the world has denied Christ. Through images and idol worship, through the demeaning demoralizing of the Church, Christ is being denied. Through your actions and words you have denied the living God.

May God have mercy on you, bless and keep you. 

Thank you Lord, for allowing me to be a messenger.

Prov. 10:20 “The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.”

Do You Know Him?

Titus 1:16 “They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.”

Do you KNOW God or do you know ABOUT Him? There is a difference you know.

Pastor made a point. He said a man came banging on his door one night demanding money. The person screamed out “I know you’re a pastor, you have to help me.”
Pastor replied, “I have small children upstairs, you’re scaring them, I don’t know you.”
The boisterous man went on, “Let me in you (expletive) (expletive).” And he went on yelling expletives and pastor surmised this person did not know God. He was left to call the police.

Pastor went on to say that if you (a parishioner) came knocking on his door, that he would help you because he knows you know God. Yes we’re called to help strangers but we’re also, if we know God, know the difference. 

He told of a recent story where a man went sliding off the road and good Samaritans came to the mans rescue but when the stranded motorist heard the rescuers calling the police for assistance, he went on a rampage and began shooting the good Samaritans, killing one.

We don’t live in a day and age where it is our duty to help EVERYONE but we often don’t know who or what to help. Discernment helps in these instances. 

So, do you know God or know about Him. When you know someone, like a dear friend, you invite them in to have coffee and welcome them into your home. You know them personally and you share the good and bad with them, not just the good. Some people fear allowing people to know the real them and I ask, do you think you can hide from God what it is you fear sharing with friends?

Then there are people who know ABOUT you, by what you say and do and show them. They don’t know the real you because you keep it so well hidden. Again I’m going to ask, do you think you can hide the real you from God Almighty?

Scenario #1

Knock on door – You open it.

You – “Hey Jesus, how you doing, come on in. Here let me clean a spot on the sofa for you to sit down.”
Jesus – Thank you, I didn’t come here to see how clean your house is.
You – “But cleanliness is next to Godliness right?”
Jesus – So what are you doing?
You – “Me, I’m just posting some things on facebook. Look, a meme with scripture, see?”
Jesus – Oh, is that a scripture you were meditating and praying on?
You  - “Um, no, it’s just a random meme. I don’t want people to think I’m a Jesus freak and all.” 
Jesus – Oh. So what else are you posting?
You -  “Well, I’m ranting about hating those Muslim people again. You’re with me on that aren’t you? Those freaks are killing your people! I have to get the word out so others will hate them too! And they do, in record numbers! Yay me, right?”
Jesus – So, is that what you learned from me? Instead of love your enemy, you hate your enemy. Instead of love thy neighbor, you hate your neighbor?

Matt. 7:1 "Judge not, that ye be not judged.
[2] For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
[3] And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
[4] Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?"

You – “But wait, everyone else hates them God haters too, they’re destroying our country. They’re killing your people! We KNOW what you want from us.”
Jesus- And you don’t think I’m doing my job in the time that you want or I don't know HOW to do my job? You trust me not? Are ye of little faith?

John 8:4 "They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
[5] Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
[6] This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
[7] So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her."

You – Okay wait, I go to church, I read my bible. I pray.
Jesus – When is the last time you visited an elderly neighbor and offered them food? When have you thought of others before your own self? When do you put ME before you? 
I need to go now.
You -  “But…but you’ll come back right?” 
Jesus – I thought I lived here?

Scenario #2

A knock on the door

You – “Well hello Jesus, my Father and Savior welcome!”
Jesus – Thank you.
You – “I’ve waited and prepared for this day all of my life, for you to come in the flesh! I’m really excited.”
Jesus – So, what are you doing?
You – “Well, I’m just reading the word. I’ve meditated and prayed on the Word and am about to share it with fellow believers. Some might need to hear this. Some are looking for your word and I offer it to them from my heart, from my very soul.” 
Jesus – So what did you do today?
You – “Well, first we had fellowship. Then I went to my neighbors’ house and offered them some fresh baked bread my wife made. I took one of their kids a toy we bought.
We’re getting ready to pray for them, the wife is really sick and needs prayer.” 
Jesus – Thank you.  I need to go now.
You – “But wait, we made you up a bed. You’re here for the duration. Am I dead?”


Scenario #3

Knock knock

Jesus – Hello, can I come in?
You – Who is it?
Jesus – It’s me, Jesus of Nazareth.
You – I hate foreigners! Especially ones from THAT country! Go away!
Jesus – But I came with a message for you.
You – Go away! You can’t offer me anything that I haven’t already heard already. I don’t need you or believe in you. Go away.

John 11:35 “Jesus wept.”

What scenario would play out if Jesus were to knock on YOUR door today? Think about it, seriously. 

May you know God and may He Bless you!

The Snowstorm

Luke 8:23 “But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy.”

The impending storm has the media all up in arms causing people to panic using words like historic, devastating, menacing and catastrophic. While the media likes to blow things out of proportion I personally, having lived on the east coast for 37 years of my life, can add simple words to tell the truth of the matter like immobilizing, standstill and simply put, a snowstorm.

My mother tells me they have already closed schools for the day (Friday) and the storm isn’t going to hit until tonight! They are calling for one inch of snow today, 8-12 this evening with high winds, and tomorrow an additional 10-14 inches! While this storm will put traffic at a standstill and immobilize the millions that are crammed into Maryland it is also going to affect millions of others from the surrounding states. While a lot of people are joking saying:
“It’s a snowstorm deal with it.”
“So much for Global Warming!”
“I guess Climate Change was a farce.” And the ever popular,
“You haven’t seen a snowstorm until you lived in ______!” put any northern state in the blank.

What will be on the rise during this storm I can assure you, will be ignorance, speed demons, hurried people, car wrecks, selfish antics and greed.

What I’d like to SEE during this storm and will happen but on rare occasions is compassion, concern and consideration. Trust me, I’ve lived through quite a few of these colossal blizzards in my lifetime. 

The people in the North will make fun of the people in the South for their inability to handle ice and snow as if they deal with that stuff all the time. I lived in Texas a few years and no, they can’t handle snow and ice only because they’re lucky (or not) to see the stuff maybe once in ten years! Where the people in the North have had to deal with storms of massive proportions yearly.

When Steven bought his Ford Explorer years ago in Texas, it wasn’t a four-wheel drive but when we got to Nebraska and had to buy a new truck it is all they sold, 4 wheel drives. When asked WHY the difference, the seller simply put, ‘they don’t need 4 wheel drives in the south.’

As our self-centered ME generation plows ahead all that they can think to do is make fun of people? Seriously? Every storm is different but rest assured there WILL be casualties, there will be homes, houses and cars destroyed, backs will be injured, elderly will be left powerless and the homeless will suffocate and die. And all you can do is poke fun? Maybe you’re also proud of the person you’ve become?

It seems like an all to often knee jerk reaction making fun of the less fortunate but it is getting really old this day and age, in my book. I remember more times than once taking eight hours to shovel out a car and its parking spot only to move the car and someone else jump into your hard work. I remember bailing out three, four, ten neighbors at a time so they could see the outside world in the midst of a two foot snow barrier and yes I remember taking the elderly food during these rough storms! 

But today? People will shoot you for a parking spot, elderly will be left to die, neighbors will build walls of discontent to have everything THEIR way. That’s just the way the world is these days.

Eight inches of snow in Nashville Tennessee? While all of you Climate Change scoffers sit there and laugh please be aware of the drastic changes going on around you that you can SEE if only you had eyes to see. Climate Change by definition states: a change in global or regional climate patterns, in particular a change apparent from the mid to late 20th century onwards and attributed largely to the increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide produced by the use of fossil fuels.

Now I have not done any scientific research on Climate Change but I am not so stupid that I can’t SEE visually what is going on around me! Let me just say, the week of December 25th, Baltimore saw temps in the seventies and had people jogging around the Inner Harbor in shorts and tank tops and note that this current blizzard is the FIRST snowstorm of their winter season!

Hurricanes raging in the Atlantic in January, snow in Texas, El Paso no less, tornadoes in many places that’s not normal for JANUARY, Fracking causing earthquakes in Oklahoma and yet you still laugh?

We the people are destroying the earth and all you can do is sit and frantically post silly BS on facebook and twitter? I sit in awe of your selfish ego. Compassion is more than just reading and reposting what you can on the internet. Loving God is more than just spouting a few words of praise. Being Christ-like is more than just being nice to a person. It SHOULD be a way of life and for some it IS a way of life. 

My prayers go out to the people in the midst of the storms. My prayer is for them to look at the world and slow down. The world, hopefully, will still be here next week so what is the hurry to grab bread, milk and toilet paper? Remember, to love one another as you love yourself! If you can’t love someone you’ve never met, you have very little love for yourself. 

Mark 12:31 “And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.”

Sin is Sin

Luke 17:21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

Sin is Sin

I read something interesting this morning, note that it is not mine:

*** I went to church tonight with my family and the pastor said something I think every Christian should hear.

Pastor: Now according to a few passages in the Bible, homosexuality is a sin.

Couple of older males in the audience: Amen!

Pastor: Now wait, I’m not finished.

Pastor: You know what else the bible defines as sin? Divorce!

~ uncomfortable silence ~

Pastor: There are countless passages that talk about how divorce is wrong, and there are consequences to getting a divorce such as a woman should be stoned.

He went on:

Pastor: We choose to overlook the consequences of divorce because time has proven that they are inhumane and cruel.

The bible doesn’t say anything about the consequences of the homosexual lifestyle. Yet we seem to be spearheading a campaign to ruin the lives of people we don’t even know.

Pastor: The bible says we are to love thy neighbor. That’s it. There are no other rules or restrictions to that passage.

So WE as a church family have to support equality with a smile on our face. THAT is the true Christian way. ***

Here lately I see so much hate coming from so-called Christians. I say so-called because while they call themselves Christians they certainly don’t act like a Christian. Posting a scripture here and there does not make you a Christian, attending a church does not make you a Christian. The way you ACT and partake in living Christ-like makes you a Christian.

I saw another post:

***Love Thy Neighbor

Thy homeless neighbor

Thy Muslim neighbor

Thy black neighbor

The gay neighbor

Thy White neighbor

Thy Asian neighbor

Thy Jewish neighbor

The Christian neighbor

Thy Atheist neighbor

Thy disabled neighbor

Thy addicted neighbor ***

I’d like to add to the list, Thy Sinning neighbor. So as much as you despise the homosexual and hate the Muslim, the divorced woman must also repulse you?

Luke 17:25 “But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.”

I am a sinner. I have been cohabiting with a man for many of years. My Church just about did away with me because I didn’t bow to their rules. *I* am no different than a homosexual being turned away from a church, or for church goers to deny them/us entry because of their/our lifestyle.

I almost forgot, I’m also divorced! Stone me now! I don’t feel I committed adultery but by marrying this man I have spent thirteen years with, it is considered adultery. My ex husband abandoned his son and me and I found a man/friend who respected and honored me in ways the ex never did, nor would or could. He broke the vows by treating me as an obsession/possession that when he lost me, he never tried to file for a divorce as he said he would. He kept me hanging, wondering and dangling feeling like the most repulsive sinner in the world.

I remain committed to God. The blood of Christ washes away my sin, right? So why would Jesus’ blood not be forgiving to the homosexual? Does he only forgive certain sins, like the man who hates, despises, steals and tells white lies? A lie is a lie and a sin is a sin. You cannot paint your sin a pretty color and say that it is not sin.

My beau and I have decided to get married at a Historical courthouse. Why a courthouse? The church that is built for sinners to come to has turned us away. We are just sinners, so please, stone us now.

I think I will give up on religion for the time being. RELIGION! Not my faith in God and certainly not Jesus Christ. I am empowered by the Word and by the Word I will live, and as a sinner I will die. But Jesus will forgive me, right? "...the kingdom of God is WITHIN you."

Jas. 1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

[27] Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

Think about this:

 
Luke 17: [33] Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.
[34] I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
[35] Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
[36] Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
[37] And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.

The Lord helps those...

... who help themselves.

Eph.2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
***

Boy I’ve heard some pretty grand arguments about this one. And yes to me they are arguments because when you try and insist on something to be true and as stated fact, you have now crossed the line into arguing a belief.

Can you imagine dying from cancer and sitting there with only this belief that if you don’t do anything that God isn’t going to help you? Because you know, if you don’t help yourself, God isn’t going to help you either?

Suppose you have terminal cancer, you do everything in mans power to be rid of this disease, and you’ve HELPED YOURSELF to try and get better, and you still die? Are your loved ones, (holding to this same belief) going to blame God? Because after all, He helps those who help themselves.

People go on and on about faith without works, to me, that has nothing to do with, the Lord helps those, if you are a person of faith, innately you help others, it is in your being as a spiritual person aligned with God. If you have faith in God and let everyone else do the works, then are you still a Christian? Does God measure your works?

I can not imagine a God who only helps those who help themselves. If this is true, then my faith is for naught, and I’d much rather be an atheist than believe that the God I have had faith in all my life, isn’t going to help me, unless I help myself. Only God knows what is deemed as works, in His eyes. No man has the power to JUDGE my works or your works.

I know of a homeless man. Brought down by drugs and alcohol wandering the streets for his next fix. He don’t seek help for his addiction and sees no problem with himself, he actually likes who he is. Many around him in his family have TRIED to help, but again, he sees no problem. So without seeking help, he remains on the streets squatting from one shelter to the other. But God, in His all powerful glorious love, has saved this man from DEATH on numerous occasions. God did not look the other way, he did not say, “Well when you begin to HELP YOURSELF that is when I will help you!”

Nope, my God has supplied the man food, given him shelter, led him to warmth, when He could have just let him die with the very first beating. Even after losing a digit due to drug use, even after being diagnosed with Hep C, this man is still alive. And God, is STILL helping him. Now I’m also sure that if this man sought help, God would STILL be there to move him forward. But God is also there when the man does NOTHING.

Let me say with all sincerity, God helps EVERYONE that places HIM in their heart. He does not discriminate, he holds no prejudices and He helps ALL. He isn’t holding out a measuring stick and thinking, “Hmm that just wasn’t enough works. Can’t help him/her/them.” Our faith IS NOT measured by our works. Salvation is not gotten by WORKS. GOD LOVES US ALL!!!!

The Lord helps those. Period!

Emotional Overload

Jude 1: 2 Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.
***

Well how was everyone’s Valentines day? Good? Good.

I personally think that it is one day that is way overrated. Did you ever notice that as soon as the Christmas stuff goes down in January that they start loading up the shelves with everything Valentine?

From teddy bears, to chocolates, to balloons, to flowers. Simply over stuff the shelves and people will have Valentine’s Day shoved down their throat so much that they can’t miss it! Take that, consumer.

I’ve looked at the legends behind February 14th and some sound outrageous but others sound plausible. One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men (gasp) — his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.

St. Valentine would HAVE to be of the male species wouldn’t he? It seems more believable that a woman, whose heartstrings play the tune of love daily would be the reason behind this day of love but no, a man is to blame.

According to yet another legend, Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl — who may have been his jailor's daughter — who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'From your Valentine,' an expression that is still in use today.

Do you see what I’m getting at here? Are we humans that gullible to put our whole being behind a day that was in essence began as a pagan ritual? We have Cupid the god of love, St. Valentine, the bearer of tidings of love, put them together, you have another pagan holiday thrown at your feet.

Why am I telling you all of this? Well because, you see, we’re writers and we have the imagination of the ancients. We can create, spread and make immortal legends of our past too. Of course they more than likely won’t make a holiday where you have hundreds of thousands of dollars spent but hey, the story is there at your fingertips waiting to come alive.

I want today to be St. Joan of Arc Day! Now let me get my fingers tapping and make a story out of it, create a legend and voila! Create a legend. Enjoy the 21st century.

So what did I do for St. Valentines Day? I attended church, came home and had nachos. End of story. (Oh, I wrote a LOVE poem, but I do that all the time and for any occasion.)

Remember this, you don’t need one day to be put aside to give, share or feel love! But, I guess we humans of the 21st Century do need a day to be reminded to love.

Uh oh...better look out...here comes Peter Cottontail and the Lucky Charm leprechaun.