Arizona

In my south the days of winter are like those of spring,
and my nights clear as you've never seen.
My beauty will I share,
and the glory of God will be declared as your eyes
will become a witness to the vastness of my splendor.
For you shall see the magnificence of my deserts
and all the life which they sustain,
my mountains shall you gaze upon they ascend as a prayer come true
unto my skies so blue.
My beauty you will agree is as incense rising to the heavens
and you will applaud my makers hand
as you behold the grandest of all canyons.
Glorious are my sunsets,
they are as the colors of the rainbow
far beyond the works of Rembrandt.
To my beauty there is no end,
I am Arizona, welcome to my land.

fields of gray

The gray does declare the glory of thy wisdom, the scares of your youth

are amongst the fields of gray.

Thy wrinkles are as roads paving paths for us to follow,

experience written in the beauty of thy face, and I must say, I do

 appreciate the fields of gray

The Wolves

The weak,
the elderly,
the confused,
the abused,
have become the victims of the men made prophets of our day,
portraying themselves to be lovers of God, and men.
Thieves in disguise,
but not to the wise.
Ministers of fame,
it is they who have quenched the original flame.
A humble expression,
a soft spoken word,
a tear in their eye,
yet dwelling in lies,
being wolves in a holy disguise.
But the God whom they spoke of for profit, and gain,
shall be the one to extinguish their flame.
For the Lord shall open the eyes of men,
that the wolf be discovered in his unholy plan.

"Is drinking a sin for Christians?"

Is drinking a sin for Christians?
Religious doctrines are usually based on the sanctification of the body and require the abstinence of alcohol. The bible states "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit"; For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

This brings to memory of an event that occurred early in my Christian life. A young man in the congregation was suspected of drinking. One of the ladies in the congregation decided to confront him. "Brother are you aware that one of our brethren is defiling the temple of the holy spirit."The young man was fully aware that she was referring to his drinking, he answered her with the wisdom of the word of God, "Sister, Every sin that a man commits is without the body,  fornication is the only sin that defiles the temple of the holy spirit according to the bible," she disagreed with his answer and a debate was in the brewing.

"Who should I believe your doctrine, or the word of God? the bible says, let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, (Touch not; taste not; handle not; . Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?

If we are to come to a conclusion as to what true holiness is, we would most certainly be satisfied with the righteousness God provided by his first born of creation, that by him we are made the RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD, by believing on the one that justifies the ungodly, and it was imputed unto us as RIGHTEOUSNESS, and we are complete in him.

The thief on the cross is one of the greatest example of fully being justified by faith. He was fully aware of who the one that hung on the cross was and said, "Lord remember me when you get to your kingdom," the Lord answered, "Verily verily I say unto you this day you shall be with me in Paradise".

How is this possible? The thief told his companion in crime, that they both deserved death. He didn't have the opportunity to build a stairway to heaven with his good works.We must conclude that he was made righteous because he believed the one hanging on the cross was the Messiah, the righteousness of God. So I have come to the conclusion that my Righteousness is not found in a bottle, but in the blood spilled on Calvary, by my lord and savior Jesus Christ.

"Can Christains Sin"

"If any man says he does not sin he makes God a liar and the truth is not in him. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his for his seed remains in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God." (John:3.9.) Often the Bible is criticized as the book that contradicts itself. These two scriptures fit in to this category and most clergy are unable to answer if their asked to interpret their meaning.

The first verse concludes that there is not born one that's righteous no not one for all man have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Second verse concludes who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect? It is God that Justifies (Romans:8.33) Who is he that condemn us? It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who even is at the right hand of God,who also makes intercession for us.

Paul had the perfect answer to the question can a christian sin. "For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwells no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwells in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man(the one that cannot sin) But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin."

All religions have one thing in common, they all believe in their good works as an aid to there salvation. But what they don't have in common is the belief of one that was slain for them on a cross and tasted of death that by him they should be made the righteous of God threw him. He died once and for all and there is no more memory of sin to those that look to him. Now to answer the question can a Christian sin, not according to God and his Christ.

Fully Trusting in God

"And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one."(John: 10. 28) With the promise associated with this verse in the scripture, I find it quite difficult to assume that the lord has altered his word because of the trials and tribulations in our lives that we refer to as failures. Despite our negative feelings the scripture reads, "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." (Corinthians 2:12.9)
Samson appeared to be a failure as he was led by a youth to the pillars of the coliseum, blinded by his adversaries. Being forewarned of his parents and brethren of the danger regarding his relationship with Delilah, he was rebellious and ignored their advice. "But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines who had dominion over Israel."(Judges:14.4). Was Samson acting in his own behalf? Some have gone as far as to refer to him as a backslider. It would APPEAR that Samson was out of the will of God, but nothing could be further from the truth."The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand."psalms 37: 23-24

If we were to place ourselves in the position of Samsons parents when they witnessed the Philistines rejoicing in his defeat and hearing them cry out, "our God dagon has delivered our enemy into our hands," We would consider the advise he neglected from us as the reason for his failure. Despite logic, the scripture reads "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."(Romans:8.38)

We have been taught and are under the impression, that we have control over our own destiny. God has not created an army of robots in whom he imposes his will, Our younger children are free agents, if they were to make the decision to go play ball in the middle of a freeway, would we oppose their decision, or allow them to exercise there right to choose? If we would  allow them to do so, we would be considered to be unfit parents and would loose custody of them. We can rest assured that our God is not an unfit father. "he that I love I rebuke and I chasten" The lord did not create robots, but an army of children."

For I am PERSUADED, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus in all this things we are more than conquers threw him that loved us.".(Romans:8.39)

The Inner Man

One evening my wife and I were invited for dinner at my daughter's home After supper we all decided to watch a movie, by the time it was over, it seemed rather late to drive home, so my wife, and I decided to spend the night.
I woke up in the middle of the night, restless and unable to fall back to sleep, I decided to go in the garage. As I stood there, my thoughts started focusing on things pertaining to God. I lifted my voice in prayer unto the Lord.
Suddenly I found myself absent from my physical being, For a brief moment in time, the inner-man was released from the outer shell that keeps him in bondage.
Immediately he started worshipping , He cried out, "Father I love you, I have always loved you. I don't have to walk on streets of gold, I don't want what is yours, I just want to be with you." He had no interest whats so ever in the things pertaining to this life. There was no amount of fame, wealth, or glory, that could be given to him in exchange for what he possessed.

He was glorious beyond any men's imagination. The magnitude of his love towards God, was beyond all human comprehension. There is no human terminology that can be used to accurately describe him. 1 CORINTHIANS-2:9-10 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

Something else was spoken by the inner-man that night, that I don't fully understand. He cried out, " They have never loved you, like I love you." Then I heard a soft voice, "don't worry son, they will never be where you are." Then appeared a barrier that extended out as far as I could see, At that instant, I was made aware that it was impossible for it to be crossed over, from one side, to the other. Thus the vision faded

I have often wondered, if what I experienced that night was a glimpse of the prophecy of John: 3:2, Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
Reflections