Changing the narrative

The guest speaker at Church was Johhny Enroe. I have seen his name listed among other prophetic speakers, but I am usually unimpressed by that stuff.

Mr. Enroe said, we need to change our narrative, for if we are focused upon the events and situations going on around us, then we will miss out on God’s best for our lives. He rapidly named off the Bilderberg group, New World Order, and The Illuminati (A loose playback.) He continued to say, “It is time for a new narrative, a new mindset.”

What are you talking about?

Webster’s dictionary states: NARRATIVE, n. The recital of a story, or a continued account of the particulars of an event or transaction; story.

It is possible that what Johhny Enroe was saying had more to do with the things we are verbally repeating, hence impacting our outlook on life, negating what God is capable of. But that did not seem to be the context of his message.

We are not supposed to be ignorant about what is going on around us. As I began posting information about Islam’s tenets and beliefs to give people a heads up, it was not a surprise when I got a rebuttal from an acquaintance who angrily stated, “perhaps the Muslims merely want to practice their religion in peace!”

How do they do that when their teachings and directives are a constant state of Jihad until the earth is purged of the unbeliever (That would include anyone not a Muslim).

From my point of view, if you understand what is coming then you can do something about it. And what is the primary something we can do? Pray and hold back the enemy, because having read what the Bible says about end times it is not going to be pretty.

We have the right and ability to hold the enemy at bay, and can do so effectively.

2 Thessalonians 2:6 AMP (6) And now you know what is restraining him [from being revealed at this time]; it is so that he may be manifested (revealed) in his own [appointed] time.

Yes, I am implying that we need to cover the backs of our brothers and sisters in those Islamic majority nations. We have the authority and power of effect change across this globe. Syria seems to be the next critical battle ground, as Russia is supplying arms to Assad, and Iran is trying to get Assad out. Meanwhile everyone else in that country and near it is at tremendous risk. To be honest I am not sure how to pray over that nation. Most importantly I pray that God’s will be done, but with a fervency I ask for protection over God’s people.

[Father I ask that your hand covers those who belong to you and keep them safe during this destructive time in Syria, and those nations whose leadership chooses to persecute Christians. Continue to show your mighty hand as you bring those you have called into the kingdom. Cease not to draw people to you, and to give peace to Israel until the time is necessary to release Jacob’s troubles. Father, above all I ask that your will be done on the earth as you prepare to bring your reign and kingdom.]

We, through the insights in the Word, should have an understanding about what is coming, and how we are to act during these last days; such as, pray.

Our introduction to the Revelation tells us that there is a blessing upon those that keep the things that are written in it.

Revelation 1:3 ASV Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things that are written therein: for the time is at hand.

Thayer’s definitions of Greek words states that the word tereo or keep in English, means to attend to carefully. We are supposed to be paying attention, reading, being alert. Even if like those before us, we never get to actually see what is to come. But that is not the case with us. Israel is a major clue, for Jesus said, “when you see these things come to pass then you know that the summer is near and the time for the harvest.

Luke 21:29-30 KJV And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; (30) When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.

Yes, I am aware that the last days have actually lasted over two thousand years and many of you have lost your focus. Do you not realize that for the course of those two thousand years we have had the capability to walk this earth as prophets, effecting change everywhere we go, and yet we have allowed others to change our narrative for us, convincing us that we were powerless and not supposed to act like this. False teachers have told us that the power and giftings of God were not for us today, and they have, by their many convincing words, stripped us of hope. They have even gone so far as to lead us into an idolatry of money and possessions.

Changing a narrative?

A Shakespeare play has a narrative and you can't change that, or can you? It happens all the time. Some playwright may turn King Lear into a comedy, while another makes some twisted musical out of it.

God has narratives as well, but God has invited us to ask for change. God’s account should not be taken lightly as a story might. It is history, poetry, victory and defeat, and yet scattered through every book in this collection we call a Bible is the future laid out before us.

Can you change the future, especially when God has decreed it? We tend to think that God’s decrees are set in stone as far as timing. Don’t be fooled, God will carry through on the plans he decrees; it just may not be today.

Isaiah 55:11 CJB so is my word that goes out from my mouth -- it will not return to me unfulfilled; but it will accomplish what I intend, and cause to succeed what I sent it to do."

Let me flesh out some examples of those who brought about changes in God’s narrative. Jonah is told by God to go to Nineveh and give them a decree, repent or die at the hand of God! (Read the entire book. It is short.) They repented and God relented. Note the word relent. God backed off his decree for a time, but he never forgot. In time, by their choice to return to their death-dealing, terrorist ways God rained death upon them.

It seems like only a few months ago that I finally saw and realized this aspect of the Jonah epic. History and archeology has proved this out, this town and evidence of their existence have been uncovered just outside of Mosul, in the country of Iraq.

Pointing out to someone, that God had deferred his anger toward Nineveh after their repentance, I was immediately met with, “God forgave them!” That kind of statement only demonstrates our lack of interest in reading the scriptures for ourselves, while depending on sanitized children’s stories from Sunday morning church school to form our world view.

Didn’t God wipe them all off the map? One of the problems people have always had with scripture, is that a statement is made like, “everyone was destroyed,” when it was most. Daniel is an example of this kind of language. Nebuchadnezzar had made a decree, at his advisers prompting, that everyone should bow to this huge idol. Hanniniah, Azariah, and Mishael did not. And yet it tells us that everyone was there, but Daniel was not. The three Hebrews were tossed into the fire and walked back out again. Clearly the statements like “all” cannot be taken so literal, for in the case of Nineveh what is left of them is a derivative of the Assyrian language. That derivative, we are told, most closely resembles Farsi. The greatest export of the Ninevites was terrorism (They had become very proficient at it, impaling their enemies on poles or dragging them until dead behind chariots through their streets.) And this is what the world is experiencing today, the exportation of a global terrorism.

Israel, almost immediately upon leaving Egypt began to complain, set up idols (Molech) and revert to the old, comfortable ways. God told Moses he would kill them all on several occasions. Moses interceded for them and God relented. And yet God’s judgment against Israel can still be clearly seen for Israel has been attacked, killed, captured and scattered for most of their lives, and yet scripture tells us that they have yet to repent. They will, but only at great cost. Read Exodus 32 for yourself.

He (God), changes times and seasons.

Time exists because the sun rises and sets. Seasons exist because of the angle of the earth’s rotation.

Is any of that set in stone? Apparently not. We have already experienced two literal, earth-shaking events that have caused a shift in the earth's axis during this 21^st century. A USA TODAY, March 15, 2011, headline read, “NASA: Japan quake shortened Earth’s day, shifted axis”. In March of 2010 National Geographic reported that the Chilean earthquake altered the day length and shifted the earth on it’s axis.

Though minor in terms of degrees of shift, they are none the less shifts. Scripture tells us that the entire earth will be shaken violently. That would certainly do some major damage, but what if the statement is rhetorical.

King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had a frightening dream, of that he was sure, but he could not remember it, and it was clear to him that it had some meaning. Nebuchadnezzar summoned all the wise men, but Daniel, nor his fellow Hebrews, was not there, and he demanded that someone tell him the dream and meaning. Not capable of giving him that information he ordered the deaths of all the wise men. Now Daniel is in trouble.

Daniel 2:13-15 NIV So the decree was issued to put the wise men to death, and men were sent to look for Daniel and his friends to put them to death. (14) When Arioch, the commander of the king's guard, had gone out to put to death the wise men of Babylon, Daniel spoke to him with wisdom and tact. (15) He asked the king's officer, "Why did the king issue such a harsh decree?" Arioch then explained the matter to Daniel.

Daniel, wisely buys some time, calls his Hebrew brothers together and they pray for an answer.

Daniel 2:18 NIV He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

Daniel 2:19-21 NIV During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven (20) and said: "Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. (21) He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.

Daniel made this statement out of honor for God, not necessarily because he had experienced severe earthquakes and saw some form of climate change. What Daniel experienced was his own capture, possible emasculation, loss of any previous relationships, enslavement, and re-training under the hand of Nebuchadnezzar. In the midst of this he maintained his dedication to the ways and knowledge of God.

The Aramaic word for change is shena, meaning to change, alter, or be diverse.

Times - Aramaic iddan meaning a set period of time. Question, who sets the time?

Seasons - zeman meaning appointed times. The word zman is used 11 times, 9 of which were translated time.

Daniel 4:36 has Nebuchadnezzar speaking of the time that God restored his sanity.

Another instance of the changing of times comes from Daniel 7:25 where Daniel has prophesied about the man of lawlessness that is to come. This man has many names.

Daniel 7:25 ASV And he shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High; and he shall think to change (to alter) the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and half a time.

We are seeing this as the theme of Islam. They are making a concerted effort to affect these changes even in democratic nations.

I think we are missing the point if we merely look at God’s mercy as inconsistency, which I know some will and already have. What we have been given is a flexibility. Even in Daniel 7:25 there is the phrase, “and he shall think to change...”; do you not see that there is left to the “saints” an open door to stop the avenger in his tracks.
The Ninevite ruler said, Jonah 3:9-10 KJV “Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not? (10) And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.”

Even this pagan terrorist understood that there was the opportunity for change in God’s heart.

This is a book  we call the Bible is being written as we go.

Yes, due to the fact that God cannot go back on his word, that which is spoken shall come to pass, but scripture is filled with variables and it is the person that will stand upon their faith that bring about the deflection of course necessary. Physics alone tell us that the Sun or Earth was never meant to change directions, but it did. Something astronomical happened, for the shadow went backward on the sun-dial just to prove that God was in control.

2 Kings 20:8-11 KJV And Hezekiah said unto Isaiah, What shall be the sign that the LORD will heal me, and that I shall go up into the house of the LORD the third day? And Isaiah said, This sign shalt thou have of the LORD, that the LORD will do the thing that he hath spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back ten degrees? And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees. And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the LORD: and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz.

Joshua prayed that the sun would stand still, and it did.

Joshua 10:11-13 KJV And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Bethhoron, that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword. (12) Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. (13) And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.

Is God open to new narratives?

It would seem so, and yet, does he not already know what action you are going take, merely waiting for your command.

The Spirit of the Lord says to you, rise up my beloved, rise up and take my strength as the Sun takes the day. I have placed my Word inside of you to effect change. There is no need to cringe in fear, for sadly fear will be plentiful. The unbelieving have brought this upon themselves, but it is time for you to put on strength.

In the midst of a battle it is a bad time to consider putting on battle gear, you should have seen this coming, especially since I have left you my Word and told you to be prepared. Now that the battle is raging around you I strongly suggest that you do something, flexibility allows for that. Nothing outside of judgment is set in stone, but judgment is not coming for the saints, it is coming upon the world that refuses me. Do not be that world, be the ones who set their sights upon me. There is a hope and I will come for you no matter what.

Read the second chapter of Joel. This is my word to you now says the Lord. You are not forsaken and you will not be abandoned or refused, for I know those who are mine. I am a God of Mercy to those who cry out for it.

Let that be you.

Breakfast with the guys

I walk in late and find the bible study group heavily involved in a discussion about naval strategy, Japanese zeros, and how one man of our group survived a kamikaze pilot missing the ship he was on by forty feet.

I sat down and said nothing - for two reasons:

1. I have never been involved in combat;
2. I had no idea what motivated the conversation.

As I was finishing my breakfast a clue finally arises as to what triggered this conversation –

Luke 11:21. So let’s take a look at that verse together.

Luke 11:21 NIV "When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe.

If you had to take this at face value what might you learn from it? It comes off as a strong position that possibly defends the right to do violence in protecting one’s personal property.

One of the men in our group quickly states that a Senator recently quoted this verse, in a public forum defining America’s right and reason, for not only going to war, but the budget behind it.

I am not so sure we can take that kind of liberty with this passage. Take a look at what Jesus told the disciples, primarily Peter, on the night that he was taken.

Matthew 26:52 AMP Then Jesus said to him, Put your sword back into its place, for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. [Gen. 9:6.]

I tend to despise Pastors who are willing to say, “this is what he was saying.” But pay attention to the language being used. He is not denouncing them as vile sinners for considering violence. He is merely stating an obvious fact, You will die in a sword fight, especially if you are not trained to use it.

What was Jesus response to James and John when they offered to call-fire down upon a village that rejected the message.

Luke 9:54-56 NIV When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?" (55) But Jesus turned and rebuked them. (56) Then he and his disciples went to another village.

The KJV (adds or includes) “You know not what manner of spirit you are of.” The majority of text and manuscripts exclude this last part.

I think we have an example of the disciples attempting their idea of the strongman role.

The Greek word for rebuke is epitimaō. If Thayer’s Greek Definitions, foremost explanation is”to show honor to.” I can assure you that Jesus was not doing that to James and John when they submitted the option of calling down fire on the Samaritans’. But if, as Thayer’s continues to define, it means to show the value of the same people they wanted dead, then that makes all the sense in the world. And certainly qualifies as a rebuke.

There is a context to everything and this is no exception. So what was the context of Luke 11:21?

This was a statement that Jesus made, while talking about interactions with demons.

Let’s ponder this idea a moment.

Go back to Luke 11:14 What provoked him to speak about the strong man?

Luke 11:14 CJB He was expelling a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the man who had been mute spoke; and the people were astounded.

Matthew stated:

Matthew 12:23 NIV All the people were astonished and said, "Could this be the Son of David?"

He had just spoken to the crowd in a manner which would have established a tremendous amount of faith in the heart of a receptive hearer, and now they have seen Jesus cast demons out of a man.

Matthew 12 has a parallel version of this, and adds a little insight.

Matthew 12:22-23 ESV Then a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw. (23) And all the people were amazed, and said, "Can this be the Son of David?"

Why would the statement, “Can this be the Son of David?” cause the Jews a problem?

Let’s assume they knew who he was physically. Jesus of Nazareth; born to Mary; alleged by some to be Joseph’s son, and yet there are those statements that Jesus keeps making about God being his father.

“We know who our father is!”

In John 8:14-18 Jesus told the pharisees that he knew where he came from and where he was going. Their response:

John 8:19 MSG They said, "Where is this so-called Father of yours?" Jesus said, "You're looking right at me and you don't see me. How do you expect to see the Father? If you knew me, you would at the same time know the Father."

Having written on this before I discussed how Jesus would have been known as a Momzer (There seems to be several spellings). The heartfelt meaning behind the word is extremely hateful and derogatory - it means to be illegitimate. This is precisely the vile hatred the Pharisees were dishing out at this moment. His “heritage” was in question all his life. With this kind of hatred surrounding him most of the time it is no wonder that the Jews responded quickly to any implication that Jesus was other than a man. That meant a complete and total denial of Jesus statements about himself.

John 8:41 NIV You are doing the works of your own father." "We are not illegitimate children," they protested. "The only Father we have is God himself."

“Can this be the Son of David?”

To say this in a questioning way indicates that there is an implied belief coming from the speaker, justifying the belief that Jesus is the Son of God, and entitled to act as the Father would, in a supernatural way.

They knew that only God could do such things, as they just saw him do. There are few reasonable options, the Jews had one more option. Since the crowd seems to leaning toward believing that he is God, attribute his works to the devil.

Yes I know, the Jews used the term Beelzeboul.

From Thayer’s definitions: Beelzebub = “lord of the house” 1) a name of Satan, the prince of evil spirits

There is something worthy of note in Luke’s passages.

Luke 11:14-15 ESV Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled. (15) But some of them said, "He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons,"

Only God has this kind of power over demons, so who are we dealing with? We cannot accept the obvious for far too many statements have been made to abase and deny him for us to back down now, therefore driven by the god of this world they make what Jesus calls blasphemous statements.

Luke’s account slides right past Jesus reaction, but Matthew’s version has Jesus responding harshly to what they said, "He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons," by saying:

Matthew 12:31-32 AMP Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy (every evil, abusive, injurious speaking, or indignity against sacred things) can be forgiven men, but blasphemy against the [Holy] Spirit shall not and cannot be forgiven. (32) And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Spirit, the Holy One, will not be forgiven, either in this world and age or in the world and age to come.

I suppose this is a migration off topic, but since Jesus said it, I will address it.

I have rarely ever heard anything that adequately explained what the blasphemy was that could never be forgiven. And I always chuckle when I hear Pastor Greg Laurie describe someone who says, “but Greg, I have committed the unpardonable sin and God can’t forgive me.” You don’t even know what it is and you have done it? The fact that God is drawing you to him proves otherwise.

Here it is - The Pharisees attributed his good works to the devil.

Jesus, only moments later said, “blasphemy against the Spirit (Presumed to be the Holy Spirit since the word used is pnuema, the same word to describe the Holy Spirit.)

Mark’s gospel backs this up and states it in stronger tones.

Mark 3:28-29 NIV Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, (29) but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin."

One of the men in our group, a Catholic, was really struggling with the concept of the Trinity, and longed for someone to find passages that established the concept. Jesus verbally demonstrated the trinity in a matter of seconds.
• Only God could do what he just did.
• Jesus just delivered a man from the demonic right in front of them, proving that he was God in the flesh.
• He told them that what they saw was the Spirit, the third part of the trinity.

Luke 11:17-26 NIV Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: "Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. (18) If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebul. (19) Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. (20) But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. (21) "When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. (22) But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up his plunder. (23) "Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. (24) "When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, 'I will return to the house I left.' (25) When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. (26) Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first."

Jesus continued to speak about overpowering the strong man, Satan, for several minutes.

Did you catch that? The man’s condition could have been any number of things but Jesus attributes his condition solely to the devil. I am not sure that we can attribute everything to the devil but I believe that this moment, captured in scripture, demonstrates who we are dealing with, all the time.

I have a friend who struggles with depression and mental illness. They may never be completely well while living on this earth. How many of these issues that we deal with are demonically based?

I suppose that brings me to some other aspects of the mornings conversations.

If you believe that Luke 11:21 inspires you to get physical with someone, does that mean you are capable or that it even justifies your self-protective methods.

Someone quickly pointed out that Paul was sent out a window, by way of a basket, to make good his escape from the angry Jews that were coming to get him. (2 Cor 11:33)

How many of us think they can respond like Steven Seagal, Chuck Norris, or this internet self-protection guru, Captain Chris. These, to me, are guys that are highly capable, and seemingly fearless. Any of whom could disarm you and then calmly hand your arm back to you, but I cannot do that, never could. It requires speed and agility and I have neither.

But this is a spiritual battle we are in, so how does any of that relate?

If I was a shade younger, I might train for a time when I might have to react to one of those bad moments, by learning some new skills, improving my speed, and actively practicing; in general, becoming more skillful and confident.

(Surprisingly, I had knives pulled on me twice when I was younger. I do not remember fear at all, but I had no clue what to do outside of talking. I remember being surprisingly calm and really did not expect to be injured. Later in life there have been situations that made me wish I was physically more assertive. I think many of those types of thoughts stem from ideals pushed at us by peers, and our general wish to enjoy our freedoms, especially when I am not bothering anyone.)

How do we apply what Jesus did to our own lives?; How equipped do you feel to tackle the demonic illness of someone?; How could you improve your ability to respond?

Not quite as clear-cut is it.

The beginning of any process like this is faith. Jesus had faith and confidence in the Father, not only in what the Father said, but in what He could do. There was nothing impossible to the Father, therefore there was nothing impossible to the Son. Since we are in Him, there should be nothing impossible to us either.

God made us to be in him through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, his Son. It is our acceptance of that mercy that brings us into this adoption. Religion will do it’s best to confuse you here, for they want to see total and absolute change in you, an instantaneous halo sprouting over your head, and a rapid and complete turn around in your actions.

Consider something. If you adopted several children of various ages, including a few video game playing, MTV watching teens, what might you expect from them? Very slow transitions to what you consider normal. Do you think God has it that much different with us?

He loved us, unworthy as we are, paid a price for us that does not make sense, and accepts us as his own, bad attitudes and all.

Yes, he does ask us to take out the trash and do the dishes once in a while, that is part of being in a family, which we are. And we call those chores trials and tribulations. Sure I am being simplistic in stating it like this, but it is the internal struggles that those chores and interactions with others create, that God uses to hone us and make us more like him while we are on this earth, in these sin broken bodies. And, it is in these sin broken, adopted bodies that we are asked to step up and be like Jesus.

You see scripture is not just a tedious collection of reading material; it is a training manual with graphic language that creates images in your spirit, demonstrating how you are to respond. No one said to Jesus, here is a demonized man, with all sorts of problems for you to figure out, now do something with him! Jesus merely did what his training had taught him to do, just like a paramedic might.

Can I gain the confidence to attack the enemy's camp merely by investing time in the Word?

I do not see why not. If that is the case, then why are there not more people willing to tackle the devil’s work in the lives of people?

Having watched a few of the Discovery Channel shows about fight science, where a couple of healthy young men learn a new fighting style which always involves physical exertion, pain, and getting severely knocked around by those who are better and perhaps stronger as they learn the new skill set, I mentally understand the pain involved in learning something like this.

Maybe God already thought through the learning curve aspect.

Obviously not everything involves pain like the martial arts, but there are many things, that by nature of their circumstances have pain included. Anything new has a learning curve; what that means is that some things take time as you build the skill sets in you to make it work most effectively. Now apply that to dealings with the demonic. Few are equipped and willing to bring others through a teaching of that nature. Jesus told us that some demons will only come out by preparation that involves much prayer; that is not something that you should do in the middle of the action, it is something that should be a lifestyle. By saying that God may have thought this all through is really taking a tremendous pressure off of us, for though it is right and necessary to prepare, Jesus already did the hard work for us.

Luke 11:22 states,

“But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up his plunder.”

Someone stronger has already attacked and overpowered the “strongman”; his name is Jesus.

Along this thought line, I went to a “bible study” recently where we read the last four chapters of Paul’s letter to Timothy, and then we were asked to talk about our favorite aspect of the reading. A little inundating, but several things caught my attention.

This was one of them:

1 Timothy 4:7-8 NIV Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. (8) For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.

Paul is telling young Timothy, “..physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” I do not suspect Paul was telling him to prepare for the day they might be thrown to the lions, merely pointing out that is has benefits.

We flew through these passages so fast. I think everyone reads just to get done with it. Odd how something catches your eye, but verse seven just jumped out at me.

“...train yourself to be godly.”

What if this book we call the bible had this title instead, “Train yourself to be Godly” How many people would even look at it? Some, but most would not. And yet this is the key to this life we live on this earth.

We are asked to be Godly, What does that look like?

It is not mandatory to wear a long trench coat of camel’s hair and live like a hermit in the desert. But God does ask us to do some hard things like: holding our tongues at times; not responding in anger; turning to the Father quickly when times get rough, and speaking and acting out the things we saw Jesus do, in Jesus name.

Paul, in writing to Timothy described the qualifications for someone who wanted to be in a place of leadership over God’s people.

1 Timothy 3:1-12 NIV Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task. Now the overseer is to be:

• above reproach,
• faithful to his wife,
• temperate,
• self-controlled,
• respectable,
• hospitable,
• able to teach,
• not given to drunkenness,
• not violent but gentle,
• not quarrelsome,
• not a lover of money.
• He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect.
• He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil.
• He must also have a good reputation with outsiders,
• be worthy of respect,
• sincere,
• They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience.

As I look at these, they are my desires for my life, and yes, most of these, in my mind, disqualify me. Some, like myself, might say, but I do not have the wish to lead, therefore these traits may not apply to me so strictly. These then could be looked at as some of the major things that define a Godly life, and really just a better way to live.

Wouldn’t it be nice if more people lived like this?

In terms of qualifications – Moses, though educated, murdered a man. Most would compare his bad moments against this list and disqualify him too, but God looks upon the heart and God is the one that makes the call as to whether you are supposed to lead or not. If God wants it to happen he will make it happen.

I hope I made some sense. As I read I think through what I am reading, and most of the time this is about the way I see it. Staying on track and focused can tend to be an issue with me. I have actually been working on this “paper” for over a week, and I have had so many other ways God has talked to me. I pray you find something in here that speaks to you. Please read the passages, that is one of the reasons why I include them. I believe it is so important for you read them for yourself. The Word of God will give an insight into who He is better than any man can do just telling you about Him. I guess that means you need to hear His voice for yourself.

I truly believe that we are in the last days. These are the days that Peter spoke of on the day of Pentecost when he quoted from Joel chapter 2. Joel chapter 2 is talking about the end, specifically the time of Jacob’s trouble. But here is what I want you to see. These people that Peter describes are filled with the power of the Holy Spirit of God, and through that power they withstand the enemy.

Here is an example:

2 Kings 1:1-10 NIV After Ahab's death, Moab rebelled against Israel. (2) Now Ahaziah had fallen through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria and injured himself. So he sent messengers, saying to them, "Go and consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, to see if I will recover from this injury." (3) But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, "Go up and meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, 'Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going off to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?' (4) Therefore this is what the LORD says: 'You will not leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!'" So Elijah went. (5) When the messengers returned to the king, he asked them, "Why have you come back?" (6) "A man came to meet us," they replied. "And he said to us, 'Go back to the king who sent you and tell him, "This is what the LORD says: Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending messengers to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you will not leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!"'" (7) The king asked them, "What kind of man was it who came to meet you and told you this?" (8) They replied, "He had a garment of hair and had a leather belt around his waist." The king said, "That was Elijah the Tishbite." (9) Then he sent to Elijah a captain with his company of fifty men. The captain went up to Elijah, who was sitting on the top of a hill, and said to him, "Man of God, the king says, 'Come down!'" (10) Elijah answered the captain, "If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men!" Then fire fell from heaven and consumed the captain and his men.

This happened twice. The third time the captain that came pleaded for mercy from the man of God and Elijah came with him.

The day is coming, and for some that day is here. Find out who you are! Find out who God is inside of you! It is time to open your mouth and declare “If I be a man of God ….” What ever needs to be done. We are fighting a spiritual battle first and foremost, never forget that, humans and beasts will bow their knee to the name and power of Jesus Christ.

Having recently discovered the Chronicles of Narnia, let me say. We are free Narnians, all of us adopted, but some have never known not being free men. As kings and queens of this fair land we need to act like it. Act like nobility that God has made us to be.

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