Saturday Night Musings

The Longest living ruler in the Western Hampshire resigns. Fidel Castro has retired as Cuba’s president, ending his 49-year rule of the Caribbean nation.  After taking power in a coup in 1959, Mr. Castro built a Communist government that survived a U.S.-backed invasion, a Cold War-era missile crisis, and more than 40 years of economic sanctions by Washington. Brian Wagner reports some people see him as a revolutionary hero, and by others as a cruel dictator. (AP Feb. 19, 2008)

For the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country,”…“because it feels like hope is making a comeback.”—Michelle Obama.  “… you and I together, we will change this country and we will change the world,”—Barack Obama. “I am ready to lead on day one.”—Hillary Clinton. “As president, I will secure the border.”— John McCain 

Promises, promises, promises! 

“And they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years”. Revelation 20: 4 

The one thousand year reign will have an omnipotent leader as head of state. He will rule not just for 1 day, or 8 years, or 49 years, but for 1000 years! He is God’s only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. He will surely come in power and glory and all the kingdoms of the world will be diminished. His throne will be at the new capitol of the world—Jerusalem. A world government will be upon His shoulders and He will reign both as Kings of King (politically) and as Lord of Lords (spiritually). God has given Him all authority and He alone will be the judge of all the earth. When He comes, the depraved minds of the world will be eradicated and He will be exalted. When the desert blooms like a rose, then the world will  live in peace with freedom. Why? Because the King reigns in Jerusalem. There will not be a democracy, or a socialist government, or communist regime, but a theocracy—a time when the incarnate God wrapped up in flesh will govern the entire world.

 The one thousand year reign will have Satan locked up in a dark hole—the abyss, the bottomless pit. (Goodie, goodie!) This Satan, this Dragon, this Serpent, this Devil, this “Deceiver” of all men and nations will be incarcerated for 1000 literal years.  

The one thousand year reign will resurrect and acquit those who were eliminated because of their Biblical and conservative views. The pro-lifers, pro-family, pro-Jews, and pro-Judea/Christian advocates will have the last word without any pundits. 

The one thousand year reign will be a time of blessedness and holiness. These are blood brothers where one is not found without the other. The world as we know it today is not happy because we are not holy. The Sermon on the Mount will be the constitution and the Word of God will be the mandate. It will be a great day in the neighborhood!  

The one thousand year reign will have priests of God supervising the nations of the world, not evil, cruel, and sinful dictators in the apparel of war. The threat of a nuclear holocaust will never be heard of because the King reigns in Zion. During the one thousand reign there will never be a retirement, resignation or retreat from the ever present One. 

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It goes without saying, someone is lying! 

Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another. Ephesians 4:25 

Have you ever told a lie? You need not to raise your hands! 

Satan is the father of lies (John 8:44) and he has many children. He would like for us to believe that God is the one who is a liar, when he said: “Yea, hath God said’? He is of a hellish nature whose purpose is dam every soul to a place that is full of liars. “For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie” Revelation 22:15.  

“Wherefore putting away lying”. Bring this Satanic characteristic to a screeching halt now, and go and sin no more. God hates a lying tongue, along with everyone else! Most can understand a thief if he steals because he is hungry, but no one can put up with or trust a liar. If anyone can lie and not be ashamed of his guilt, then there is either a calloused heart or one is spiritually dead. Lying is of the old man, since we have put on the new man at salvation, we must put away all that was part of the old nature. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things have passed away, behold all things have become (instantly) new. Lying is a sin—stop it! 

Speak everyman truth with his neighbor. Both Clemens and McNamee knows what happened and they both know the truth of the matter. Rather than a Henry Waxman who chaired the hearing, they need a Solomon who will wield a judgment and throw both of them in jail for perjury. The truth will surface pretty quickly. The only way one can keep from telling a lie is to tell the truth—it will set you free. Lying against your friend is a sin. 

…for we are members one of another. We who make up the body of Christ are members of His body in particular. If we are not building each other up, then we most certainly are tearing each other down. Lying never unites; it divides and destroys. As Mr. Clemons said, “No matter what we discuss here today, I am never going to have my name restored.” . As for Mr. McNamee’s future in major league baseball, it is over! Lying is a cancer of the body, if not cured; it will forfeit future victories for the whole team. 

It seems to me we need to resist the devil and submit ourselves everyday to God’s will. Keeping our nose in the book will keep out mouths shut. If telling the truth keeps you out of the Hall of Fame, so be it. If telling the truth about your lies keeps you from lying, then…”Just do it”! “Play Ball” fellas—fess’ up, Christ can forgive you and we who have been forgiven will forgive you too. 

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Super Tuesday this week did not record any victories in the southern states of Kentucky, Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee where a killer storm shredded a path and killed more than 55 people, leaving hundreds injured and homeless and billions of dollars in damage. One of our affiliated Southern Baptist Universities (UnionUniversity, Jackson, TN) suffered the loss of more than 40 million dollars. President Bush surveyed the loss of living and life in LAFAYETTE, TN., this week, acknowledged an “incredible sadness and worry“, said: “We’re sorry you’re going through what you’re going through, Life sometimes is unfair, but there’s help.” 

And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst. John 19:18   

And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, and between two harden criminals like that of Barabbas, he was brutality crucified. After his intense beating throughout the night that left him marred and scarred beyond recognition, he is forced to carry huge timbers up a steep hill called Golgotha. There they stripped him and with two cold nails, they rivet and fasten his warm compassionate hands into the wood. Being fixed to the cross, they lift it and drop it into a hole! Lastly, with another nail, they place one foot on top of the other and drive it into the flesh separating the bones as he is literally being held in suspension until he suffers and tastes death for all men. He had no place to lay his head will be forever pronounced in this setting. “Behold the man”!

 They crucified him. The victim is now crucified on a cross like a piece of meat hanging in a slaughter house—yet still alive. Very much alive to say to those who crucified him, Father forgive them for they know not what they do. Lifted up as a brass serpent fashioned under the judgment of fire, he is on a pole for the entire world to see. He said, If I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me. They lifted him up, but it was Jesus who laid himself down—he said: no man takes my life from me; I lay it down and will take it again. For many criminals it would take days for death to come, but for the Son of God, he willingly, voluntarily and still in his own power ceased to live in somewhat six eternal hours on the cross. Volumes of books for which the world has not enough shelves could be written from three simple words—They crucified him!  

“…and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst”. Jesus suffered a sacrificial, viscous death for all men. Indeed, He was numbered with transgressors. Friend, it makes no difference who you are, what you have done, or how many sins your have committed, there is a Savior who is found in the midst of you, ready to forgive and take you to heaven. Like the repentant thief, ask for mercy and call on him now. Today may be your death-bed. 

It seems to me that we have the wrong image of his crucifixion today. We have fashioned the cross from the best of metals and polished it to a luster of brilliancy for the adornment of the flesh. But I say to you, the cross on which our Lord was crucified on was not pretty. It was the last thing that anyone would want to bear; it was a horrible ending under the hammer of God’s judgment. When I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of glory died, my richest gain I count but loss, and pour contempt on all my pride. Jesus, keep me near the cross—there a precious fountain, free to all, a healing stream, flows from Calv’ry’s mountain. Today, I will cherish the old rugged cross…above all my possessions, and exchange one day for a crown.  

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 Sun City Center, Florida: Senator John McCain on Saturday stepped up attacks on his Republican rival, Mitt Romney, accusing him of once wanting to withdraw from Iraq and likening him to Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton in his approach to the conflict. (January 27, 2008 AP) 

SIMI VALLEY, Calif. — Republican Mitt Romney accused John McCain of using dirty tricks by suggesting the former Massachusetts governor wanted a deadline for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq, in a spirited debate Wednesday night that underscored the intensity of their presidential rivalry. (January 30, 2008 AP)  

Does this not sound like the pot calling the kettle black? God help all of us! 

Then he (Pilate) questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing.  And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him. Luke 23:10  

Then he questioned with him in many words; The accusations (many of them) come from the “religious crowd” being forged by false witnesses to find probable grounds for conviction. They were manufactured charges driven in the form of spiritual piety concerning the one in whom there was no form of variableness or shadow of turning. Satan tempted Christ for 40 days and could not prove beyond any reasonable doubt to convince Him of sin. He left him because he found Him to be blameless. Yet, the rigor and force with satanic purpose, these men of the cloth sought to forever destroy the one who came speak the truth to set men free.  

And he answered him nothing. Jesus told the people unless their righteousness exceeds the Pharisees they could not go to heaven. He said they were the blind leading the blind and both were headed straight for the ditch. He called them a wicked and adulteress generation. He said they were hypocrites, the sons of hell making converts a two-fold child of hell. He told them they honored God with their lips, but their hearts were far from Him. And he told them if they destroyed this temple, he would raise it again in three days—and with that statement, they screwed themselves right into the rafters and sought to destroy him!  

He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, yet he opened not his mouth, why? He did not come to defend himself, but to give himself a ransom for all. He once said, If I answered these questions, you would not believe me or let me go (Luke 22: 67,68). This was His hour, He would indeed drink the entire bitter cup, he would complete the prophecies of the book that was written of him—being despised and rejected of men.  

The chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him. The ACLU, the NOW, Planned Parenthood, and many other in-for-hells new aged ideologies are up to their dirty tricks to water down the Word of God. Satan is the author of this rhetoric.  He wants to be God, to sit in the heavens as God and declare to the world that He is God. But he knows he “ain’t” God.  

It seems to me also that Christ let himself be accused so that Satan can not accuse us.  We can never be condemned because Christ took our condemnation. God sees the saved by grace totally forgiven. Remember, Satan will step up the attacks; he is full of dirty tricks, the father of lies, and accuser of the brethren. When accused by this evil one, open your mouth and forgive them, for they know not what they do.  

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