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Mark 15:1-5 & 9-11 (HCSB) ¹ As soon as it was morning, the chief priests had a meeting with the elders, scribes, and the whole Sanhedrin. After tying Jesus up, they led Him away and handed Him over to Pilate. ² So Pilate asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” He answered him, “You have said it.”^{[a] 3} And the chief priests began to accuse Him of many things. ⁴ Then Pilate questioned Him again, “Are You not answering anything? Look how many things they are accusing You of!” ⁵ But Jesus still did not answer anything, so Pilate was amazed. ⁹ So Pilate answered them, “Do you want me to release the King of the Jews for you?” ¹⁰ For he knew it was because of envy that the chief priests had handed Him over. ¹¹ But the chief priests stirred up the crowd so that he would release Barabbas to them instead.

Revelation 21:8 (HCSB) ⁸ But the cowards, unbelievers,^[f] vile, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars—their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

As we walk this walk called life, each day we are going to have to deal with situations in which folk around us speak against us without any true or righteous cause for their speaking. You can live your life without any care as to what others are doing in their lives. You can live your life without any animosity, hatred, or envy of those who are around you. You can live your life in such a way that you have no reason to hurt anybody nor do you like to hear or see someone get hurt. You can go around folk with the single intent of allowing your light to shine before them in such a manner that they will look up to heaven and glorify your Father because of your light. Yet, with all of this, some folk are going to plot against you. Envy….

As you walk this walk called life, you are going to have to learn to deal with folk who have what they perceive to be ‘boss status’, and who see you as a threat to their power, position, prosperity, partiality, and purpose. Folk will look at you as someone from somewhere else when you don’t think like they think, when you don’t talk like they talk, when you don’t act like they act, and when you have no ill will towards anybody. Folk will look to destroy you simply because your light is shining bright. Your light is shining so bright that folk who were once under their spell have had the spell broken, have had the curse removed, have had the scales fall from their eyes, and have had an opportunity to truly see them for who they really are. Your light is shining so bright that folk will have no choice – at least from their perspective – but to try to deny the light with which you shine, try to defame your name, try to destroy any good that you do and have done for others, try to dismiss your walk, try to dim your shine, and try to get others to disapprove of whom you have shown yourself to be – not your talking – but your demonstration of true light. Envy….

Family, as we read and dive into Mark chapter 15, we see that the Israelite leadership had come together to question and then devise lies on The Master. These folk were the leaders of the Israelites dwelling in the area of Judea at the time that The Master walked in His human body. The ministers accused Him – lied on Him. Pilate observed the verbal and non-verbal responses from The Master and was amazed at His demeanor in the midst of folk lying on Him – for no GOOD reason. Yet, He did not respond to the accusations – lies on Him. He had no reason to defend Himself because He had not been guilty of breaking any of The Fathers Instructions – lies on Him. Pilate was able to see that the leadership was envious of The Master. Envy will cause people to accuse you and in their envy lie to themselves, lie to you & lie on you of things that they cannot prove. Envy….

Family, you must understand that those who lie lie on you because they are envious of you. Those who lie on you have NOT the Spirit of The Father. Those who lie on you – and some of them are so far gone that they can’t even tell when they are lying – have demonstrated that they are NOT The Father’s children. They are children of the father of lies and follow the words, works and worship of their father who was a liar from the beginning. Family, understand that those liars have a not so pleasant destination awaiting them. Family, if you are that liar, turn away from living as a liar, apologize to those on whom you have lied, and become a child of The Father. You CANNOT live as a liar and live as a child of The Father.

Family, stop following Lying Leaders (like Israel followed), stop allowing Lying Leaders to stir you up (like Israel allowed), stop conceding your life to Lying Leaders (like Israel conceded), stop walking on the broad path that Lying Leaders are on (like Israel walked), and don’t receive a one-way ticket to an eternal destination like Lying Leaders!

Shalom (Peace)!

Scriptural References:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%2015&version=HCSB

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation%2021&version=HCSB

Exodus 19:9 (HCSB) ⁹ The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear when I speak with you and will always believe you.” Then Moses reported the people’s words to the Lord. 

Exodus 20:1-17 & 22-26 (HCSB) 1 Then God spoke all these words: ² I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery. ³ Do not have other gods besides Me. ⁴ Do not make an idol for yourself, whether in the shape of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth. ⁵ You must not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the fathers’ sin, to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, ⁶ but showing faithful love to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commands. ⁷ Do not misuse the name of the Lord your God, because the Lord will not leave anyone unpunished who misuses His name. ⁸ Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy: ⁹ You are to labor six days and do all your work, ¹⁰ but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. You must not do any work—you, your son or daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the foreigner who is within your gates. ¹¹ For the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and everything in them in six days; then He rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and declared it holy. ¹² Honor your father and your mother so that you may have a long life in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. ¹³ Do not murder. ¹⁴ Do not commit adultery. ¹⁵ Do not steal. ¹⁶ Do not give false testimony against your neighbor. ¹⁷ Do not covet your neighbor’s house. Do not covet your neighbor’s wife, his male or female slave, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

²² Then the Lord told Moses, “This is what you are to say to the Israelites: You have seen that I have spoken to you from heaven. ²³ You must not make gods of silver to rival Me; you must not make gods of gold for yourselves.^{[d] 24} “You must make an earthen altar for Me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats, as well as your cattle. I will come to you and bless you in every place where I cause My name to be remembered. ²⁵ If you make a stone altar for Me, you must not build it out of cut stones. If you use your chisel on it, you will defile it. ²⁶ You must not go up to My altar on steps, so that your nakedness is not exposed on it.

Psalm 1:1-2 (NKJV) ¹ Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ^[a]ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; ² But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he ^[b]meditates day and night.

Psalm 119:105-108 (NKJV) ¹⁰⁵ Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. ¹⁰⁶ I have sworn and confirmed That I will keep Your righteous judgments. ¹⁰⁷ I am afflicted very much; Revive me, O Lord, according to Your word. ¹⁰⁸ Accept, I pray, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O Lord, And teach me Your judgments.

Mark 12:29-34 (HCSB) ²⁹ “This is the most important,”^[n] Jesus answered: Listen, Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is One.^[o] 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.^{[p][q] 31} “The second is: Love your neighbor as yourself.^[r] There is no other command greater than these.” ³² Then the scribe said to Him, “You are right, Teacher! You have correctly said that He is One, and there is no one else except Him. ³³ And to love Him with all your heart, with all your understanding,^[s] and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, is far more important than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices.” ³⁴ When Jesus saw that he answered intelligently, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And no one dared to question Him any longer.

John 14:23-24 (HCSB) ²³ Jesus answered, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. ²⁴ The one who doesn’t love Me will not keep My words. The word that you hear is not Mine but is from the Father who sent Me.

John 17:3 (HCSB) ³ This is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and the One You have sent—Jesus Christ.

Revelation 12:17 (NKJV) ¹⁷ And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus ^[c]Christ.

Revelation 14:12 (HCSB) ¹² This demands the perseverance^[k] of the saints, who keep God’s commands and their faith in Jesus.”^[l]

Revelation 18:4-5 (HCSB) ⁴ Then I heard another voice from heaven: Come out of her, My people, so that you will not share in her sins or receive any of her plagues. ⁵ For her sins are piled up^[e] to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes.

Revelation 22:12-17 (NKJV) ¹² “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. ¹³ I am the Alpha and the Omega, the ^[f]Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” ¹⁴ Blessed are those who ^[g]do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. ^15 [h]But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. ¹⁶ “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.” ¹⁷ And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.

Jeremiah 1:4-4 (HCSB) ⁴ The word of the Lord came to me: ⁵ I chose you before I formed you in the womb; I set you apart before you were born. I appointed you a prophet to the nations.

Jeremiah 20:8-9 (HCSB) ⁸ For whenever I speak, I cry out, I proclaim, “Violence and destruction!” because the word of the Lord has become for me constant disgrace and derision. ⁹ If I say, “I won’t mention Him or speak any longer in His name,” His message becomes a fire burning in my heart, shut up in my bones. I become tired of holding it in, and I cannot prevail.

John 14:21 (HCSB) ²¹ The one who has My commands and keeps them is the one who loves Me. And the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father. I also will love him and will reveal Myself to him.”

Philippians 2:12 (HCSB) ¹² So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

As each of us lives in this world, there are many thoughts or things that many of us desire. Some desire to always live in a life of vacation – not having to or needing to work. Some desire to always live in close proximity to their biological relatives and childhood friends. Some desire to not be in the presence of anybody they are biologically related to or grew up with. Some desire to always live as the center of attention. Some desire to always live in the position of first in every thought, word and deed. Some desire to always live in a position of knowing that others want to be them or want to be with them. Some desire to always live in a place of peace, tranquility and having no problems. And then there are some who desire nothing more than to be chaos, to be confusion, to be disorder and to be trouble.

The prophet Jeremiah was a man who was chosen for his assignment before he even graced his mother’s womb. The prophet Jeremiah was not like many popular prophets of today. The prophet Jeremiah – who was assigned to be a prophet to the nations – did not prophecy peace, wealth, prosperity, and all of the desires of people’s heart – the nation of Israel and the other nations. The prophet Jeremiah proclaimed a word, cried out that word, spoke only the word that did not please his hearers as his hearers did not want to hear what The Creator had to say about how they were living nor wanted to believe that The Creator would reject them and send them into bondage. The prophet Jeremiah would not be well thought of today, nor invited to the family cookout, nor be invited to latest and greatest congregational gathering, nor thought to be a great preacher, teacher, proclaimer or messenger, nor be paid by the people ‘who wanted to hear from The Lord’.

The prophet Jeremiah was on fire from The Creator. Because of his messages from The Creator, in the people’s eyes, Jeremiah was a disgrace, was scoffed at, and made a mockery. It is interesting that this ‘Man of God’ was a disgrace, a scoffer, and mocked by the people yet he was the oracle by whom The Creator chose to use to forecast the pain that was coming to His People because that had chosen to abandon The Instructions that He had given through that old prophet named Moses. It is interesting that this ‘Man of God’ was a disgrace, a scoffer, and mocked by the people yet he was the oracle by whom The Creator was giving His People an opportunity to turn from their wicked ways and be received back into His Loving Arms. It is interesting that this ‘Man of God’ was a disgrace, a scoffer, and mocked by the people yet he was the oracle by whom The Creator was using to show all nations what it would be like if they chose not to hear His Word, chose not be subject to His Word, and chose to reject Him and all that He desires for them to be. It is interesting that this ‘Man of God’ was a disgrace, a scoffer, and mocked by the people yet he was the oracle by whom The Creator was please with.

The prophet Jeremiah obeyed The Father even when it did not feel good to him, obeyed The Father even when the folk mocked him, obeyed The Father even when folk didn’t think well of him, obeyed The Father even when folk began to talk about him even if they thought that he was coming to them, and obeyed The Father even when he was tired of being the spectacle that he was created to be. The prophet Jeremiah was filled with The Spirit – just as John the Baptist & The Messiah – which is the fire within his bones that he references in verse 9 of chapter 20. When The Spirit -The Anointing, The Fire, The Seal – is within you, the message that you have been given is a message from The Father that you must proclaim and you are not able to keep it to yourself as it was never intended for you to keep, but to give away. The prophet Jeremiah worked to please The Father in spite of the pain that he had to endure as he worked the work of salvation for his natural nation and the adopted nations (note: this refers to the natural branch and adopted branch that Paul speaks of in the epistle to the Romans). The prophet Jeremiah knew The Instructions of The Creator, held onto The Instructions from The Creator, and lived out The Instructions of The Creator. The prophet Jeremiah was not created to please the folk. The prophet Jeremiah did not choose to please folk by not telling them what The Creator said, and did not choose to please folk by adding to or subtracting from the word for them from The Creator.

Family, if you love The Father & The Son, obey His Word with fear and trembling. To fear Him is to know and understand His Power, His Authority, His Dominion, His Immutability, His Everlastingness, His Sovereignty, and His Uniqueness. To tremble before Him is to realize your limited capacity, your finiteness, your powerlessness, you’re created in His image and your life is in His Hands. Family, work out your own soul’s salvation by coming to Him in Spirit & in Truth, by surrendering His image back to Him, by knowing what He has said and obeying His Word, and then by living as a citizen of His Kingdom while you tarry for The Master’s return. Family, get that fire that the prophet Jeremiah had and stand firm on fire for your salvation and the salvation of others.

Shalom (Peace)!

Scriptural References:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+1&version=HCSB

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah%2020&version=HCSB

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=JOHN+14&version=HCSB

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians2&version=HCSB

Matthew 19:16-19 (NKJV) ¹⁶ Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good^[d] Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” ¹⁷ So He said to him, ^[e]“Why do you call Me good? ^[f]No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” ¹⁸ He said to Him, “Which ones?” Jesus said, “‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ ¹⁹ ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”

Revelation 22:14-15 (NKJV) ¹⁴ Blessed are those who ^[g]do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. ^15 [h]But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.

As we look at this world and grow to have our own opinions, we come to an understanding of what is good and what is bad. The understanding that we received may have come from a person or organization; or it may have come from within us. Once we have developed our own definition of what is good and what is bad, we evaluate everything in life based on our definition of what is good and what is bad. As we grow, we learn that how we define good or bad is not necessarily how others define what is good or what is bad. Sometimes that definition can be defined based upon how we feel about something or someone, sometimes it can be based upon how our parents or system of understanding have taught us, sometimes it can be based upon how the people with whom we fellowship have taught us, or sometimes it can be defined by whatever spirit we subject ourselves to. Understanding what is good versus what is bad is important to us as each has a particular destination for us at the end of our journey along the path called good or the path called bad.

As we examine Matthew 19:16-19, we have a young man who has come to The Master Teacher with a profound and eternity based question. He called The Master good based on his understanding of what is considered to be good. He called The Master good based on the actions that The Master displayed as He walked among His people of Judea. He called The Master good because the Judeans were taught from The Word of The Father (some call it the Law of Moses) on what is good and what is bad. He called The Master good because The Master’s walk was in perfect alignment with The Spirit embedded in The Word from The Father. He called The Master good because their was no fault in Him when His life and actions were examined to see if they met the standard for how The Father defined what is good and what is bad.

As we examine Matthew 19:16-19, we have a young man who has come to The Master Teacher with a profound and eternity based question. The young man had been taught what is good and how to display what was good in the eyes of The Father. Now, the young man asked The Master Teacher, who walked the walk as He talked the talk of eternity, a question about his eternal destination. The Master looked at him and told him to follow The Instructions that are given in Exodus 20. Ahhh, here it is. The Master is providing the straight and narrow path for the young man to follow into his destiny. The Master does not provide him a riddle to solve to understand his destiny. The Master does not tell him to go and get several college degrees to understand his destiny. The Master does not tell him that he does not have the right secret symbols or handshakes to enter into his destiny. The Master simply tells him to do what was taught to Israel by Moses after Israel had come away from Egypt.

Family, this same question asked by this young man is asked by many people across the earth. The answer to the question is so simple that many have trouble even believing that it is as simple as The Master told the young man. Many want to add and have added to what The Master said. Many want to take away and have taken away from what The Master said. Many do not want to follow what The Master has said, but will follow what fallible, empty and prideful men have told and continue to tell them. Many will follow powerless traditions that come from the cunningness of the chief of liars and all those on his team.

Family, The Master in His pre-resurrection body told the young man and us what Good Thing we need to do in order to Enter Eternal Life. The Master in His post-resurrection body has told us what Good Thing we need to do in order to Enter Eternal Life. The Father’s Word is the same yesterday, today and forevermore. The Father does not change. He is Good, Great, Giving and Glorious! Family, do what The Master has told us to do.

Family, stop following those who speak, teach, preach and live contrary to what The Master has said. Family, stop fooling yourself into thinking that your bad way of thinking, bad way of speaking and bad way of living is actually good in the eyes of The Father. The world has taught you that all of this bad that you see is good and the minimal amount of good that you see is bad. Family, He has spoken…let all of the disciples say So Be It, say Halleluyah, and say that It Is So! Family, make sure that you don’t walk away from The Master like the young man did, but that you take to heart what The Master has said and do the Good Thing to Enter Eternal Life!

Shalom (Peace)!

Scriptural References:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+19&version=NKJV

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=revelation+22&version=NKJV

2 Timothy 2:15 (HCSB) ¹⁵ Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth. 

As we look around, we see many people who have a desire to be approved. Some want to be approved by a man. Some want to be approved by a woman. Some want to be approved by their family. Some want to be approved by an organization. Some want to be approved by a team. Some want to be approved by leadership. And some just want to be approved…they don’t care who or what approves them, they just want to be approved. Approval…..

What you must understand is that the approval of people is fickle. What do I mean by fickle? Many people are only going to follow their own emotions. So, if they follow their emotions, that means that some times they like you and some times they don’t or won’t like you. Some times they will not even want you in their presence. Now, if you are only joyful – notice that I didn’t say happy – when someone or some organization approves of you, then you have a major problem. Better stated, you have given a person or an organization power over who are, who you desire to be, and what you are able to achieve. Their Approval…

What you, my friend, must understand is that your worth is not found in a person or organization nor whether that person or organization approves of you or not. Your worth is in the fact that you have been created in the image of The Creator. And because you have been created in His Image and because you are able to shine as He Shines, then you are valuable to Him. What you, my friend, must understand is that you must learn more about Him and how He desires for His image bearers to live and represent Him. What you, my friend, must understand is that in order to truly shine to the brightness that you were created to display, you must study what it is that He has said to us. You must understand that His Message – His Word – will give you the recognition that you have been attempting to receive from people and/or organizations. His Approval…

Family, Paul, led by The Holy Spirit has given us a word of encouragement. I know he directed it to his student Timothy; but this word is not only for a young leader but for an old leader, for a non-leader, for a man growing in his faith, for a woman who is about to lose her faith, for a young person who wants to have just a little faith, for a woman of faith who’s faith is constantly being tested, and for that one who cares not to have any faith in promised The Messiah (The Anointed One). Studying The Word will show you who you currently are and who you are capable of becoming. Studying The Word will show you some folks who were in the same situation as you and some folks who were in worse situations than you but they were delivered from their miserable, dreadful, painful and sad situations. Studying The Word will empower you when it seems that the enemy and your enemies have defeated you. Studying The Word will show you how The Eternal One stepped into time to defeat your eternal, material, and mortal enemy for you and to show you the Right Way to eternity while you are still in time.

Family, stop killing yourself for the approval of a man, a woman or an organization and truly begin your journey of pleasing The One in who’s image you have been created. You may be tarnished right now but studying His Word can and will give you the shine that you so desperately desire. Study The Word and receive The Only Approval that really matters from The Right Authority who has always had your best interest in His Mind! It’s go time……time to go unroll the scrolls and get your approval!

Shalom (Peace)!

Scriptural Reference:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+timothy+2&version=HCSB

Genesis 2:15-16 (HCSB) ¹⁵ The Lord God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden to work it and watch over it. ¹⁶ And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree of the garden, ¹⁷ but you must not eat^[m] from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die.” 

John 8:30-31 (HCSB) ³¹ So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word,^[i] you really are My disciples. ³² You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Freedom is a concept that is multi-faceted. Freedom politically given does not mean that you are free socially. Freedom socially accepted does not mean that you are free respectfully. Freedom temporarily given does not mean that you are free eternally. Freedom physically given does not mean that you are free emotionally. Freedom emotionally given does not mean that you are free mentally. Freedom mentally given does not mean that you are free spiritually. Again, freedom is a multi-faceted concept that many want you to believe is simple…”if you are free then and only then are free you”. Freedom according to this world’s standard is not that simple phrase!

Adam was born free, spiritually and physically, and was able to partake of the best that has ever been created on this earth. With Adam’s freedom came one restriction – don’t eat of this one particular tree. With Adam’s freedom came the opportunity to display his obedience to The Word and the opportunity to display his discipline to refrain from something that he was told would cause him to spiritually die, and, something that many miss, that spiritual death brings with it bondage. Adam was told to stay away from that thing that would cause his spiritual walk to become a natural walk, that would cause his spiritual connection with The Creator to become severed, that would cause his spiritual image of The Creator to become tarnished, and that would cause him and those after him to need someone to restore that spiritual image, connection and walk. We shouldn’t be too hard on Adam because, for many of us, being told ‘don’t do that’ sounds to us like ‘go do that’.

Family, your freedom is not dictated by some crafty, slick, serpent-minded man, woman, leader, organization or policy. Your freedom is a spiritual freedom that should be displayed in the natural. Your freedom was eternal, brought to earth, and has returned to the eternal. The Word came so that you might be free. I say might as many will not rely on The Word for their eternal freedom. Temporal, political, social, physical, emotional and mental bondage is received the moment you refuse to receive and obey The Creator. Many walk around clothed in what is perceived to be freedom but their freedom is only disguised by events, activities, explosions, and festivities. Many cover up their bondage by busy-ness while telling themselves that they are free and trying to show others that they are free.

Family, if you truly want to be free – obey The Creator. If you truly want to be free – stopping making idols – better understood to be gods – of men, women, organizations, events and festivities. If you truly want to be free – start obeying The Father’s Son and follow His example of always pleasing The Father. If you truly want to be free – start understanding that The Kingdom is at hand and The Father’s desire is for you to be within His Kingdom. If you truly want to be free – start living under the authority of The King who has no beginning nor ending. If you truly want to be free – start living from the mind-set, heart-set and eye-set of eternal freedom has come to you, has come for you, and is available to you so that you can be the glory of The Son as you are afforded each day to live. Let your Freedom Light shine bright as you live each day from (continuing in) The Word that came for you from The Father!

Shalom (Peace)!

Scriptural References:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis+2&version=HCSB

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john+8&version=HCSB

Ecclesiasticus 19:18-20 (KJV1611) 18 The feare of the Lord is the first step to be accepted of him, and wisedome obtaineth his loue. 19 The knowledge of the Commandements of the Lord, is the doctrine of life, and they that do things that please him, shall receiue the fruit of the tree of immortalitie. 20 The feare of the Lord is all wisedome, and in all wisedome is the performance of the Law, and the knowledge of his omnipotencie.

Revelation 22:18-19 (KJV1611) 18 For I testifie vnto euery man that heareth the wordes of the prophesie of this booke, If any man shal adde vnto these things, God shall adde vnto him the plagues, that are written in this booke. 19 And if any man shall take away from the wordes of the booke of this prophesie, God shal take away his part out of the booke of life, and out of the holy citie, and from the things which are written in this booke.

Reverence is a word that many have a hard time understanding and putting into practice in their daily lives. Fear is another word that many are challenged to fully grasp the meaning of and put it into practice also. These two words, spiritually, go hand in hand. Many can NOT truly love, obey, live for and represent The Creator if they do not first Fear Him and then Reverence Him. Today, many well meaning individuals will tell you that The Creator does not want you to fear Him; yet in Exodus 20:18-20 Moses tells Israel when they became afraid because they saw Mount Sinai on fire without burning up, saw lightning, heard thunder and the sound of trumpets, and saw the mount smoking from the fire that God has come to prove them that His Fear may be before their faces so that they will not sin. And here it is – sin. Sin is using your own understanding to turn away from The Message from the The Father to do whatever it is that you desire to do.

The Father – The Ancient of Days – desires for you to live your life within the bounds of His Righteous Allowances. The Father – The Ancient of Days – desires for you to be His ambassador in every facet of your life. The Father – The Ancient of Days – desires to be with you, wherever you are, and in you, the center of your way of thinking, that the world may know that He is The Strength that they desire. The Father – The Ancient of Days – desires for you receive His Message, retain His Message, and regularly repeat His Message to yourself and to others. The Father – The Ancient of Days – desires for you to remember that He Is Omnipotent (All Powerful); and that there is no person, no angel, no animal, no planet, no sun, no moon, no star, no thing, no document, no government, no office or none other god that can come close to His Power, His Authority, His Reign & His Dominion!

Fear and reverence go hand in hand. You can NOT reverence The Creator without possessing fear of Him. When you do NOT possess – better stated – carry with you at all times fear of Him, then you will NOT obey His Message. The serpent willingly rejected His Message, Eve willingly disregarded His Message and Adam willingly disobeyed His Message. The serpent displayed no fear of nor reverence for The Creator. The serpent has enticed and engulfed many with this doctrine of ‘God does not want you to fear Him’. Your doctrine -the beliefs and instructions placed in your mind, heart and soul – is what guides your every thought, word, action and works.

When your doctrine is NOT His Doctrine you will never be able to please Him nor be able to be found acceptable in His Sight. He wants you and me to be with Him, but we can’t be with Him nor serve Him righteously if we refuse to hold The Fear of Him in front of our eyes every single day of our lives. Pleasing Him means remembering how Powerful He Is. Pleasing Him means remembering that He is The First & Last. Pleasing Him means remembering that we – in perfection – are created in His Image not Him created in our image. Pleasing Him means remembering that He loves us so much that He has given us His Scriptures that we may know and understand His Word, His Will, His Way, His Worship, His Truth, His Light and His Life.

Family, on this day of rest, begin to fear The Creator – The Ancient of Days. Begin to restore the fear of Him that was demonstrated to Israel at Mount Sinai. Take yourself back in time to the time and place where you are in the presence of a mountain on fire but not burning up, hearing thunderings, seeing lightning, hearing the sound of trumpets, seeing and smelling smoke. Take yourself back so that you heart begins to flutter because of the Power that is displayed right in front of your eyes; then live your life with that image right before you eyes. Once you begin to do this, you will be on your way live a life of reverence to The Father.

1 Corinthians 9:25-27 (HCSB) ²⁵ Now everyone who competes exercises self-control in everything. However, they do it to receive a crown that will fade away, but we a crown that will never fade away. ²⁶ Therefore I do not run like one who runs aimlessly or box like one beating the air. ²⁷ Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

As we read this passage from The Scriptures, we see that Paul, a servant of The Master, is highlighting the difference between living according to The Spirit of The Master and living according to the flesh in which he is wrapped (better read flesh in which each of us is wrapped). The Spirit is from above, heavenly and eternally pleasing to The Father. The flesh is temporary, earthly and eternally in opposition to The Way of The Father. We have two opposing dynamics that are continuously with us who are born from women, and who are in a constant battle to be the priority of our mind, our heart and our soul. Paul let’s us know that he, like us, must be led by The Spirit at all times and must place our wicked flesh in subjection to The Will of The Spirit – which is The Will of The Father. The Master taught us to pray – not my will, but your Will, Father, be done on earth as it is in heaven. The Master mastered his own flesh and it never had control of Him and His desire to please The Father.

Paul follows the example that The Master set. Paul says follow him as he follows The Master. Paul, a man with desires just like you and I understood that at the end of the day his assignment was to ensure that he would be found pleasing in the sight of The Master. Paul, a man with desires just like you and I understood that his own flesh could separate him from the crown that he desired to receive. Paul, a man with desires just like you and I understood that he was in control of his thoughts, his words, his works and the reward for his works. Paul, a man with desires just like you and I understood that discipline and strict control of his own body was key to him receiving the crown and reward that he so earnestly desired. Paul, a man with desires like you and I understood that if he did not turn away from – deny and reject – his own flesh, he would be found guilty of unfitness for The Master’s Kingdom.

Family, you and I must understand that every thought that enters our mind is not a heavenly Father righteous thought, every word that comes from our mouth is not a heavenly Father pleasing word, every action that we take is not a heavenly Father designated action, and every work of our body is not a heavenly Father approved work. We must discipline our bodies in such a manner that we will not be guilty of unfitness for The Master’s Kingdom. Many will preach righteousness but make every excuse under heaven as to why they live how they live – Unfit Preaching. Many will say that they want to enter The Father’s Kingdom but will not live like The Master lived while they are on earth – Unfit Preaching. Many will say that they are working for The Master’s Kingdom but work from a carnal – fleshly, earthly, temporary – perspective – Unfit Preaching. Many will put on the apparel for preaching and appear to be anointed but without the apparel they do NOT look like a child of The King – Unfit Preaching. The time is now that you stop living as an Unfit Preacher, for you to stop making excuses for Unfit Preachers, and for you to stop focusing on Unfit Preachers and start focusing on removing your unfitness from your life.

Paul, preaching in the power afforded him by The Master, says that we must first discipline our own self, second not allow our own flesh to rule our lives, and third put our own flesh under the rule of The Spirit that we have been given. Kingdom living begins on earth. Paul was very well aware of that, lived that everywhere he went, taught that every opportunity that he had, and greatest of all lived as a Kingdom citizen no matter the situation or circumstance that he found himself. Paul was fit for duty even though he fought with himself every day to ensure that he was in the faith – trusting, obeying and submitting to The Master. Paul was qualified but did not want to live in an unqualified and unfit manner. Family, live your daily life such that you are fit for The Master’s duty, fit for The Master’s glory and fit for The Father’s Kingdom. This can only be done when you follow The Master’s Way of living out The Truth of and from The Master’s Life!

Mark 13:12-13 (NKJV) ¹² Now brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. ¹³ And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who ^[e]endures to the end shall be saved.

During my morning reading of The Word, Mark 13 was the focus of my learning. As I read this chapter, I saw many nuggets within what The Master said to His disciples. One nugget that grabbed me was from v. 13 …you will be hated by all for My name’s sake… In today’s time, the world and the followers of this world only want you to focus on loving and accepting one another. They do not want you to change for the longevity of your eternal soul. If I read and have understanding given by The Holy Spirit, the teaching of this world and it’s followers is foreign to what The Master was & is teaching His disciples. These words from The World let all of His disciples of today know that we will be hated for His Name. His Name comes with power. His Name comes with authority. His Name comes with dominion. His Name comes with eternity. And His Name also comes with hatred from family, friends, foes and this foreign world. Many don’t want to be hated, but if you are His disciple, hatred comes with the territory that you have been given.

Family, be sure that you are hated for the right reason. Don’t focus on your clothes, birth connections, earthly customs, custom toys or earthly comfort; but focus on His Name. Focus on following His Way because He is The Truth and His Way is the only way to live. Don’t change or exchange His words for the comforts of this world or to be elevated by people. Focus on receiving and retaining the instructions (The Truth) that He gave us…not the instructions of a group of people, not the mixed instructions from the liar, not academic philosophies given to you by enemies, but on His unadulterated words. Focus on pleasing His Father as He did while He was wrapped in the same flesh as you. When we focus as He was focused, we will be Hated For The Right Reason!