"Change” Is Coming

To one degree or another, we are all creatures of habit. Some of those habits may be defined as “good” and others may be defined as “not so good” but either way, nothing alters the fact that we all have them. However, habits can get to be a major problem if we are not “real careful” if those same actions are merely repetitious and habitual acts that cause us to become “set in our ways.”
“God forbid” if anything (or anyone) ever shows up and interrupts our regular routines and habits. For, if there is one thing that most people in this world have a strong distaste and dislike for…it is “Change!” So whoever you are, (viewer be warned) don’t you dare mess with anything that we have already grown accustomed to, because we don’t like anybody or anything that might cause us to personally have to “Change!”
Regrettably, there is one major problem with this kind of a mindset. Sometimes, it is Almighty God who orchestrates that “much disliked” change that we see as a disruption in our lives. For there are times when God “LIKES” to take “all of us” out of our own comfort zones! As much as we may dislike the “change” thrust upon us, it just may well be that it was the Lord Himself who instigated the very “change” that has now “wreaked havoc on our habits” and “ruffled our routines.”
You see, God never wants any of us to ever to get in a “stuck in the rut” mentality. So in order to keep us from growing uncompassionate for the lost; and unconcerned to the needs of this world in which we live; God (every once in the while) allows something to so affect each one of us until it literally “turns our world upside down.”
After all, if we’ve ever read “The Book” there is one thing for certain that all of us are well aware of; and it is this: “For each and every one of us, ‘”Change is Definitely On The Way!’”
Paul puts it like this. “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” (I Thessalonians 4:16-17)
And then again, in (I Corinthians 15:51-52) he says: “Behold, I show you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall (ALL) be changed!”
Soon, for All the Saints of God who are looking forward to Christ’s Soon Appearing, there shall be a “New Day Dawning” and “A Fresh New Beginning.” For very, very soon, God is going to send His angels to reap His “Harvest of Believers!” Yes, —“Change Is Coming!” And I truly believe that Jesus Christ is about to “shock” this entire world with His surprise and unanticipated appearance!
For Believers in Christ (who have lived their lives faithful and committed to Him) it is going to be the “Greatest Event” that any of us will have ever experienced in our lifetimes. But for the rest of the world…it’s going to be the time of the greatest nightmare to ever befall planet Earth!”
So one way or the other…for everyone: regardless of your ethnic background, your gender, or your political or religious affiliation… we all had best be making certain that we are seeking Jesus and serving Him… for “Change is Most Assuredly Coming"… and I believe that it is already on the way!
Just a Thought,
Pastor Ken Jones

Surviving the Coming Economic Tsunami

Just look at America today; at the end of World War II America was the greatest lender nation in the world. Today, America is the greatest borrower nation in the world. We are up to our eyeballs in debt, with most families so deeply in debt until many today are now not more than just 1 or 2 paychecks away from losing everything.
As a society-at-large, we are consumed with a credit addiction mentality. We purchase cars that we know that we can’t really afford to drive, buy homes that (on average), will take us more than 30 years to pay off, and encourage our children to get college educations “On Credit” that will take many of them their entire lifetimes to repay. (And then we wonder why our nation has become so fiscally irresponsible?)
In contrast to this, God (in Deuteronomy 28) informs us that we are supposed to be the “Lender and not the Borrower,” we are to be “Blessed going out and blessed coming in,” “Blessed in the city and blessed in the country,” and “Blessed in every other area of our lives” as well. And yet, how many Christians do you know who live their lives blessed like that?
But then again, that same passage also states that those blessings are contingent only to those who are willing to: “Observe and Do ‘ALL’ that the Lord Has Commanded Us to Do.”
Furthermore, (in Exodus 23 & Deuteronomy 15) every 7th year God set aside to be a Sabbath year, a year when the land was to be given rest, and all debts were to be canceled. In this way, God made certain that no individual could ever be more than 7 years in debt for anything.
Do these principles also apply to America? Well, America was founded upon Judaeo-Christian principles, so I believe that they do. All one has to do is to look at how America’s economy has been affected on the Sabbath years in our past (or the time shortly thereafter) to realize that the outcome each time is just far too repetitious for the results to be merely coincidence.
Each of these dates below represents a Sabbath Year over the course of the past 50 years:
1966- 23% of the value of the Stock Market was wiped out
1973- for the first time since World War II, gas is rationed in America caused by the Arab Oil Embargo.
1980- U.S. and Global recession
1987- 33% of U.S. Stock Market Value wiped out.
1994- Bond Market Crash
2001- Twin Tower Trade Center attacked and destroyed, Wall Street experiences its largest single one day point collapse up until that time.
2008—Exactly 7 years later, Wall Street experiences its single greatest one day decline ever—triggering national recession which has been ongoing for over 6 years.
Now I know that God cannot be put in a box, He’s not locked into doing the same thing every time. But if we are 7 for 7 in major national economic downturns on or just after every Sabbath year (during the last 50 years and this is a Sabbath Year) don’t you think that the odds are pretty good that, as America has continued to become “even more wicked than she has ever been before” that it could well be that, the “Economic Tsunami” (that I believe will soon arrive)is going to be “Far Worse” that all others before it?
I truly believe that this nation is on the verge of experiencing an economic downturn that will (quite possibly) make all other economic downturns pale in comparison.
So how do Christians prepare themselves to live in “God’s Abundant Blessings” even while it seems like the rest of the world is drowning under the economic upheavals that seem to be threatening almost every country on the planet? Let me share with you some Biblical insights on how to do just that:
1. Always make it your first priority to practice God’s principles on giving—(First-fruits, Alms [giving to the poor], Tithes, and Offerings [seed sowing]).
2. Secondly, “Get Out of Debt!” Try not to buy anything that you can’t pay for with cash or in no more than 30 days if you absolutely must.
3. God sends finances in our direction for 3 reasons—some to give, some to spend, and some to save. Learn to do all 3.
4. Be extra-careful of whom you take financial advice from. (Always look and see what kind of financial condition your adviser is in. If they are head over heels in debt, they’re hardly eligible to be giving you sound fiscal advice.)
5. Work ethics are a must. I’ve never known a lazy person whom God ever abundantly blessed. As parents we have a moral obligation to God to instill good work ethics in our children while they are young—their futures may well depend on it!
6. And especially to young people: “Do not buy into the lie that getting a good education is worth strapping yourself to decades of debt.” Use some biblical wisdom about finances and education. You can get your core subjects at almost any local community college—apply for grants, work a job, and pay for your courses as you go. To attain your degree, be a smart shopper, work while you learn, and even if it takes 6 years to get that 4 year degree, if that’s what it takes to leave college debt free—DO IT!
7. Never allow envy or greed to be the reasoning behind your buying motives.
8. Learn to live on less, to want less, and to “be satisfied more” with that which you already have.
9. Don’t be a wasteful with what you have, because God is not in the blessing business to those who continue to “waste” His blessings.
Debt is just a legalized form of slavery. Many a missionary never made it to the mission field, many a dreamer never attained their dreams, all because he or she allowed themselves to be buried in so much debt until it literally stole their dreams.
To all the rest of the saints of God: Yes, we are living in a perilous time where for us to be able to survive the Economic Tsunami that’s coming may well depend on how serious we are about getting out of debt as quickly as we possibly can.
And may all of us realize what a great ministry opportunity that God is about to make available to us as we put practice living with “God’s Abundant Blessings” on our lives...even in the bad times!
Just a Thought,
Pastor Ken Jones

“Part Of The Process”

Way too often “WE” (as the children of God) have this tendency to accept whatever junk that the devil has been busy whispering in our ears about why we are being forced to endure the “Storms of this Life” that may be presently raging all around us…and we do so just as if what the devil is saying is some kind of absolute “Truth.”
However, as the children of God, we need to remember that, “God does not allow any of us to go through the m...any trials of this life simply because He’s trying to punish us or because we may have messed up “big time” somewhere in our pasts.
Sometimes, the very things that we now find ourselves going through are merely “Part Of The Process.” They are the storms which are necessary to “Move Us From Where We Are Now…” to “Where God Desires For Us To Go…” to “Change Us From Who We Are Now…” into becoming “Whom It Is That God Desires For Us To Become!”
Part of the requirement for becoming the spiritually minded children that God desires for us to become is that first of all each of us must be, “Willing to Go through the Process.” And, there are also times that God allows us to go through all the fiery trials and terrible storms (that we may be presently encountering) simply because God knows that He can trust us!
Lastly, (and I hope that none of us ever forget this) it is in “The Process” that we learn how to trust God to deliver us “OUT” of the “Storms” (but perhaps even more importantly); we also learn that when He chooses not to delivers us out of those storms, we can still trust Him, for He may well choose to deliver us “THROUGH” those “Storms” instead.
Just a Thought,
Pastor Ken Jones

Imminent Danger Ahead!

This week, Congress is scheduled to vote on whether or not to approve an agreement (that has been endorsed by the Obama Administration) concerning the lifting of sanctions against a rogue Islamic terrorist regime, Iran. All in the name of peace. Ironically, this very deal will also pave the way for Iran to have almost immediate access to all that she needs to produce nuclear warheads capable of slaughtering hundreds of thousands (if not millions) in a single assault.
If this deal is allowed to stand in its present form, America will essentially be allowing the greatest exporter of terrorism in the world to inspect their own nuclear sites; and… it will give them immediate access to over 100 billion dollars in financial assets (with which they can further export their brand of terror indiscriminately).
And yes, this is also the very same country whose I.E.D’s killed and maimed thousands of American soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. And they are also the very same country whose leaders (almost daily) publicly proclaim, “Death To America” even while so many in America’s misguided political leadership are ever busy promoting and supporting “This” the most dangerous deal perhaps ever to be signed into law by our political leadership.
So why is “This” a matter of such utter importance as to stir me to address it in this blog today? It is because of the fact that Iran is bent on the creation of nuclear war material that may well be used on America. More disturbing than that, first and foremost, she has made it publicly known that she will use her newly attained nuclear might to "Wipe Israel off the map."
Iran plans on wreaking havoc on the Jewish people. With her unchecked nuclear capabilities this rogue nation proclaims that she will be able to slaughter (the more than 6.3 million Jews living in Israel) in “One Day,” (that’s more Jews than Hitler was able to exterminate in more than 5 years of Nazi Death camps).
Iran is made up primarily of Shiite Muslims, their ideological belief is that Allah has called them to start World War in order to usher in the arrival of the 12th imam (Islam’s version of a messiah). According to Islamic prophecy, when the 12th imam arrives, he will cause all the world to accept Islam. And any in the world who have the audacity to reject Islam, they will die cruel and horrible deaths.
(If that sounds vaguely familiar, it should. For what Shiite Muslims believe is exactly what the Bible describes as what will happen during the Great Tribulation when the Antichrist will demand all mankind to worship him...or be slain.)
But I have a “NEWSFLASH” for those who are bent on Israel’s destruction. The Jewish people are still God’s Chosen people. And as such, His Word guarantees that, “They shall never be destroyed!”
If Iran continues with her present plans, she will seal her own demise as well as the demise of all the nations who will foolishly ally themselves with her (God makes this clear in Ezekiel chapters 38-39, [Iran today is biblical Persia] ). GOD IS GOING TO FIGHT “THIS” BATTLE!
That brings me back to America, and the vote that is about to be taken this week. If our leaders follow through, allowing this deal to be passed, a deal that will so greatly benefit Iran and (at the same time) so greatly threaten Israel…as a nation, we too shall reap the consequences of God’s wrath.
Genesis 12:3 makes God’s promises and His warnings crystal clear concerning Israel and those connected to her. There, God assured Abraham of this: “…I will bless those that bless thee ([Abraham] –he is considered the father of Israel), and curse them that curse thee [Israel]…”
America Be Warned! If our leadership follows through on this agreement that threatens the very existence Israel, such action will, “Unquestionably” serve as the catalyst for the release of God’s judgment upon our nation.
In Scripture, there were 4 great sins that all nations who were guilty of, they soon fell under the wrath of God:
-The Shedding of Innocent Blood [since 1973 America has murdered more than 56 million children, and who is more innocent than a child?]
-Idolatry the worship of other gods [just turn on any TV or listen to a radio and it soon becomes evident who and what America now worships]
-Promotion, Practice, and Endorsement of Sexual Immorality [the Supreme Court just drove the final nail in this coffin] and the 4th…
-Turning Against God’s Chosen People, The Jews. (We’re about to be 4 for 4.)
These continued acts of belligerence and total disregard for the truths of God’s Word by our national leaders “WILL” have national implications that will be felt by one and all. For if our leadership chooses to abandon Israel in this matter…I firmly believe that God Will Not Allow The Remainder Of This Year To Pass Without America Learning What It Means To Feel His Wrath!
With all of that said, if there is one more thing that I am certain of, it is this: “Nobody can be sure of what the future holds for any of us. However, as children of God, ‘ALL’ of us can be confident in ‘The One’ who ultimately holds our future in ‘His’ hands.
Therefore “I Choose” to continue to put my faith and trust in the Jesus Christ!
Pray for America, Pray for our Leaders, and Pray a Special Prayer for Peace Safety of the Nation of Israel!
Just a Thought,
Pastor ken Jones

Ready Or Not, Here I Come

Just turn on the radio, or sit down and watch the evening news; or simply take the time to turn on your computer on any given day. And suddenly, it becomes all too readily apparent that out world cannot long survive if she continues to stay on her present downward spiral.
Furthermore, it has become all too obvious (even among those in our world who neither know God as well as those who even go so far as to deny the existence of Creator, God)—that there is a growing sense of fatalism, hopelessness, and utter despair.
Anarchy, wickedness, chaos, and utter debauchery now seem to be “The Order Of The Day” for much of our world. And these evils are paving the way for God’s judgment to soon rain down upon this degenerate human race. And sadly, it has become "all too apparent" that most of mankind seems to have no desire whatsoever of attempting to alter this course of impending annihilation that we are so readily embracing.
But to all of those Believers whose hope is in Jesus Christ… even in the midst of these “Darkest of Hours of a Depraved Humanity” God’s Word affirms to us that “Nothing Here Has Taken God By Surprise!” Furthermore, His Word gives us the assurance that He has already prepared a “Way of Escape” for His children out of this mess!
When will the Day of God’s Judgment arrive upon this vile, evil, wicked world? This I do not know; but of this one fact I am fully aware: “Before His wrath is poured out upon planet Earth, Christ’s Bride (His Church) will have already been far removed to our heavenly home!”
And I’m sure that by now you know that I’m talking about the soon coming “Rapture of the Church.” It is an event that holds a specific time on God’s Future calendar of events, the one of which Paul wrote:
“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” (I Thessalonians 4:17)
Yes, it is true that our world is overripe for the Judgment of God. But Saints of God, be encouraged, because this also means that our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, is soon to proclaim (for all of His “Faithful” children to hear) “Ready or Not Here I Come!”
How grateful I am that God’s Word makes it clear that before the 7 Year Tribulation begins, that God “WILL” provide a way of escape for the righteous so that we will be able to avoid His judgment upon this wicked world. In (Luke 21:23) Christ clearly states: “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.”
So for all the spiritual skeptics who would try to have us to believe that the Children of God are going to have to go through the Tribulation, I would just love for them to explain to me why it is that God would tell us to “pray that we would escape all these things” if they were impossible to escape from?
And one more thing (according to Revelation 3:10), the saints of God are also given this promise: “Because you have kept the Word of my patience, I will also keep you “FROM” the hour of temptation.”
So Saints of God, don’t you dare let anyone steal from you the “Joyous Hope” of our Lord’s imminent return. For, “WE” (the Church) shall be taken out, caught up, (Raptured)… long before all hell breaks loose upon planet Earth!
Therefore, saints of God, if ever we’ve lived holy, let’s make sure that we are living holy today. If ever we’ve lived committed, let’s make sure that our commitment to God is more than it’s ever been before. And if we’ve ever been about doing the Father’s business, “NOW” is the time to make sure that it is becomes the absolute, #1, priority of our lives!
Be encouraged, be faithful, and be certain that you are watching and waiting (with eager anticipation). For I firmly believe that one day soon, we’re going to here a shout…and the trump of God is going to sound… and our Savior is going to crying out something that only His children will hear. And that “Something” is this: “READY OR NOT, HERE I COME!”
“…So comfort you one another with these words…Amen!”
Just a Thought,
Pastor Ken Jones

Too Hot To Handle

Oftentimes Christians talk about how they desire to, “Be on fire for God.” But do we realize that “fire” (especially to this flesh of ours) has certain undesirable characteristics, namely: it burns and causes great pain.
Nevertheless, in order for any of us to ever be “Truly be on fire for God” then we must also be willing to allow God to: “Put us into the Furnace of Life” (if that’s what He so chooses to do).
Now I know that’s enough to scare off a lot of Believers who “thought” that they wanted to be on fire for God, but the whole purpose behind all the fiery trials (that we sometimes find ourselves going thru) is all because God is attempting to so temper us so that when the devil comes our way, we’ll just be “Too Hot For Him To Handle!”
One passage of Scripture that attests to this fact is found in Daniel 3. There, we find 3 Hebrew boys, forced to live in a pagan culture, just doing their jobs to the best of their abilities. When suddenly, out of the blue, the king decides to build himself an image and passes a decree that whenever the royal orchestra plays, everyone in his kingdom will fall on their knees and worship his image…or else.
The king’s commands are the “Supreme Law” of the land, and it is either “Obey his law” or “defy it and die.” Nevertheless, these 3 Hebrew boys “Refuse to Compromise Their Convictions” even though they know that such a stand will probably cost them their lives. They respect the temporal powers that be, but only as long as those laws do not violate the laws of God, for their allegiance is first and foremost To Him!
Not that they try to make a big deal of it, they simply refuse to bow when the music plays. But in the kingdom are others who despise these Hebrews. Men who are filled with envy (because these 3 have excelled in their duties before the king). So, under the pretext of loyalty to their king, they go and tell the king of these 3 rebels who openly defy his commands.
The king likes these boys; so much so that he is even willing to give them a second chance. He’ll have the orchestra play, and if they’ll just bow down and worship his image, all will be forgotten. But before the king can ever give the signal for the orchestra to strike up the music, these 3 give the king their reply. They tell him, “We don’t need any time to re-evaluate our positions oh king; for we could never compromise our convictions or sell out our obedience to our God.”
Furthermore, “We also know that if our God chooses, He can deliver us from you. Nevertheless oh king, even if He chooses not to save us, we will not compromise our worship to the Most High.”
Nebuchadnezzar had already had a great furnace prepared for anyone who refused to obey his commands. Now, he is filled with rage at these men’s defiance of his demands. In his anger, he orders the fire to be heated 7 times hotter, and he commands his mightiest soldiers to cast them into the fiery furnace.
But these 3 are “Too Hot To Handle!” The very men who attempt to throw them in the furnace are consumed by the fire long before they can cast their prisoners into the flames.
Scripture tells us that these 3 Hebrews “fell down bound” into the furnace, but they didn’t stay bound for long; for the flames instantly consumed their bonds. Immediately they are free and walking in the midst of the fire!
The king questions his advisors and says, “Did we not throw 3 men into the fire? But lo I see 4 men loose walking in the fire…and the 4th is like the Son of God.”
We are never told whether the 3 Hebrew boys saw Christ or not (although I suspect that they did), but we know that this wicked king and all his advisors saw Jesus Christ Incarnate walking with His children.
Yes, there are times when we all have to walk through the fire. And yes, there may be times that we never see “The 4th man in the fire.” But whether we ever see Jesus or not, you can take it to the bank, He will not let any of us ever walk thru those flames alone!
The very trial that Satan had sent to destroy these 3 Hebrew boys, it soon became “Their Greatest Testimony” for it was “Thru the Fire” that God made these men “Too Hot For Even the Devil To Handle!”
Nobody likes to go to the furnace and nobody like to have to face the fire. Maybe you are the one who now finds yourself in the Furnace of Life right now. And for the life of you, you just can’t figure out, “Where is God in all of this, and why is God allowing all these things to happen to you?”
Just hold on my friend, for if there is no test, there can be no testimony! God may well be tempering you so that soon even the devil is going to find out that “You’re Just Too Hot To Handle!” And never forget, “Even in the Fire” you will never walk alone, for Jesus can always be found in the midst of the fire!
Just a Thought,
Pastor Ken Jones

Expectation Generation

(Re posted from Aug 2014)

Noah sought a haven of safety for he and his family (even though judgment had been pronounced the earth) so God instructed him to “Build a Boat.” Joshua was promised all the land that he was willing to place the sole of his foot upon, therefore God told him to “Keep on Walking.” Esther sought deliverance for God’s people (even though a death sentence had already been passed upon them) yet God gave her “Favor With The King!”

In each situation, the inevitable outcome was completely altered, and it all began with a “thought” that then became impregnated with a “Seed of Faith” one which was rooted in the unfailing promises of God. In each case, nothingness became something, and that which seemed utterly impossible, suddenly it became Reality! 

What is it that we are willing to believe God for? What is it that we believe that God can birth in our own personal lives? Today, I believe that God is calling His children to step into The Delivery Room of His Expectancy! 

In every generation God has impregnated the minds and the hearts of those of His children who have been willing to “Step Out By Faith” to “Believe for the Impossible” to “Reach for the Unattainable” and, in the process, God saw to it that each was able to “Accomplish the Unachievable!”
In this, today’s generation (because of the nearness of the soon coming of Christ) I believe that God is speeding up the process. God is impregnating lives, (both young and old alike) with a fresh new vision to do the Work of His Kingdom. I think that “Somebody gets it”—Life is not always “What About Me” all the time! 

God, in honor to those who have put their “Unfaltering Faith” in Him, is about to cause the miraculous to come into fruition right before our very eyes! Spiritual wombs that have been dead and barren are about to bring forth “Life and Life Abundant” even in areas that we never thought possible! 

For some of you, you are already way past your delivery dates, so you just go ahead and get ready to enter God’s Delivery Room of Expectancy…FOR EVEN AS I PEN THESE WORDS, I SENSE YOUR MIRACLE IS ALREADY ON THE WAY!

Just a Thought,
Pastor Ken Jones

Never Take God For Granted

I’m sure that all of us (at one time or another) have been guilty of “Taking God For Granted.” Ironically, our nation (which was founded upon Christianity and Biblical Judeo-Christian principles) now not only chooses to “Take God For Granted” but we presently have become a nation that seems to be obsessed with eradicating any and all vestiges of God from our entire society.
Tragically, this nation’s attitude towards God did not simply change overnight, it happened over an extended period of time, as this nation gradually began to no longer reverence God, but instead chose to treat Him merely as a casual acquaintance… BUT IF WE CONTINUE TO DO SO, WE WILL DO SO AT WHAT PRICE?
I think about Israel, when David became King. And one of the first items on his agenda was to bring the Ark of God to the city of Jerusalem. (Now the Ark of God represented the presence and glory of God in Israel; and David decided to make it his highest priority to bring the ark out of the shadows and back into prominence in the nation.)
For almost 100 years, that ark had been in all but utter obscurity (ever since the Philistines had returned it after first capturing it under the leadership of the wicked priests Hophni and Phineas. For although the Philistines had captured it, they soon found out that the Ark was just “Too Hot of an item for them To Handle” so back to Israel it was sent.)
It eventually was placed at the house of Abinadab in Kiriathjearim (the place where it had been resting for well nigh a century). But David now senses that the time is ripe to re-introduce the presence and glory of God to his nation. So, with “Great Joy” preparations are hastily made to bring the ark from the house of Abinadab to Jerusalem.
Without going in to all the specifics, the citizens are given open invitation, the orchestra is assembled, the Praise and Worship team is gathered—all to join in the celebration of the joyous event of moving God’s presence to the capital.
Uzzah and Ahio, (most likely grandsons of Abinadab) place the Ark on a new cart to bring it to Jerusalem. And as they bring the ark out of the house of Abinadab, the nation is ecstatic. But then, “Suddenly” something totally unanticipated occurs.
(***That’s the thing about Life, it’s never all those things that we have made preparations for that end up catching us by surprise, but rather…It’s all those things that none of us ever thought would happen to us…they’re the things that always knock us off our feet!***)
We are never told what caused the cart to shudder to such a degree that it appeared that the ark was in danger of falling off the cart—whatever the cause of the sudden upheaval, Uzzah reaches out his hand and grabs hold of the ark to steady it…only at the moment that he touches it…he is instantly slain.
The instruments stopped playing, the singers stop singing, the worshipers stop worshipping, all because what had started out as a celebration has suddenly turned into a funeral procession.
Furthermore, Scripture makes it clear as to the cause of death, it was not “Death by Natural Cause” and the devil didn’t do it either. For Scripture clearly states that, “The anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error.”
In Exodus 25, God’s Word made it very clear on how the ark was to be carried—“ONLY” on the shoulders of the Levites. (***Knowing exactly what the Word of God says, could well be the difference between life and death for all of us!***)
We should also note that, Uzzah wasn’t just anybody; he grew up in the house of Abinadab, the place where the ark had rested for the last century. Only it seems that he had gotten so accustomed to having the presence of God in the house until he literally had “Taken God’s Presence For Granted!” God help us to never get so casual with the appearance of His presence in our midst until we disrespect Him by showing Him attitudes of apathy and indifference!
Uzzah made a decision to disregard God's command, choosing instead to do what “…Seemed Right to Him…” (even though he knew better) and his actions cost him his life.
God is as good as His Word—what God says in His Word that He will do, what He says is right will always be right, and what He says is sin, will always be sin! And He’s not going to change His Word… Not for the Supreme Court, not for the President, not for the Congress, and definitely not for you or for me.
God’s Word and/or His precepts should “Never Be Taken for Granted” and this generation, above all others, have less excuse for “NOT” knowing His Word and His precepts than all who have lived before us!
Uzzah’s intention to help was right enough; but his profound insensibility to the sacredness of God’s Presence cost him his life. May God help each of us to “NEVER” Take His Presence for Granted!
Just a Thought,
Pastor Ken Jones

There Is No Hurt That God Cannot Heal

I don’t care who you are, where you come from, or what your religious affiliation may be, if you’ve been around for any time at all, then there is one thing about you that I can tell you (even if I’ve never seen you before in my life), and that is this: “Somewhere in your ‘not too distant past’ you have been deeply wounded, and if it hasn’t happened to you yet, don’t worry, in due time, you will be!”
Perhaps you are one of the silent sufferers (who number in the millions) who were molested when you were young…
Possibly you’ve been in a long-term marriage relationship that you have worked so hard to nurture, only to find out that your spouse has been having an affair and is now ready to throw everything away…
Or perhaps you’re the teenager who just found out that you are pregnant, it was just a “one time fling” and you are wondering, "How could this possibly be happening to me?" Or maybe it’s worse…
You may be the one that just got the results of all those medical tests that you’ve been taking, and it has the word “terminal” in it…
Or nightmare of all nightmares, you could well be the soul that just got the news that all parents fear above all else (for no parent is ever supposed to outlive their child) and now suddenly your whole world has just been shattered into a thousand tiny little pieces that you cannot put back together again...
Yes, your “Wound” could be any one of these (or a million others just like them), situations that come our way and suddenly our entire world seems to disintegrate, right before our very eyes. Only when that wound that so deeply pierces us comes our way, how are we going to handle it?
I wish I could tell you that bad things do not happen to good people, but if I did, I would be telling you a lie. Because bad things happen to good people every single day; and it still rains on the just, just as much as it does on the unjust.
In John 10:10, Jesus says, concerning Satan: “THE THIEF COMETH NOT BUT FOR TO STEAL, KILL, AND TO DESTROY…” But Jesus didn’t stop there; He doesn’t leave the body of Christ helpless and without hope, for He finishes the rest of that verse by telling us this: “… I (Jesus) HAVE COME THAT YE MIGHT HAVE LIFE AND HAVE IT ABUNDANTLY!”
Now the question that we must address is, “Which part of this passage are we going to choose to live our lives by? When we are wounded are we going to allow ourselves to drown in our own self-pity? Are we going to live out the rest of our days as "Broken Believers" all because we have chosen to accept for ourselves a “Victim Mentality?” Are we going to allow the devil to steal from us, to destroy us, and eventually to finish us off completely?
Or, are we going to “CHOOSE” (for it is our choice you know) the promise of the latter part of that Scripture…to live our lives to their fullest and in the midst of God’s abundant blessings, and with those blessings raining down upon us continually?
Maybe you are one of God’s children who still hasn’t gotten over your own wounds yet. Could it just be that you never will...not until you begin to release towards others exactly what it is that you need God to release to you?
And could it just be that God allowed “our wounds” to come our way (not because He was trying to destroy us but...) because He loved and trusted us so?
He trusted us to deal with all that hurt and all that pain, so that “WE” just might be able to help someone else in need of the same healing process. Someone who may been wounded with the same wounds that we suffered; only they weren’t as near to God as we were, and they just don’t know how to get over their wounds…but we know how to help them, because we’ve been there before!
Even in the worse times of our live (in those times when Satan had his sights set on utterly destroying us) God in the greatness of His goodness, knew how to take the deepest wounds of our lives and turn them around to be used for His glory!
So if, right now, you’re in the midst of the darkest day of your life, you take heart oh saint of God. For the Father will not allow your suffering to be in vain. Thank the Lord that Christ still knows how to “Take what Satan sent our way for evil and to use it for ‘His’ good!” Yes, it still is always the darkest before the dawn. So you take heart my wounded friend, for soon the “SON” shall shine in your life once again!
Food for Thought,
Pastor Ken Jones

The Cure…Fresh Fire

What will turn our nation around? One does not have to be a Bible theologian to readily take note that when it comes to the issues of morality, integrity, and godliness that America has become much like an airplane who has just had both its engines to shut down in mid flight.
Presently, our nation is spiraling wildly out of control at breakneck speed. And unless the miraculous takes place, and unless some “ONE” (that can only be God) is able to cause our nation to regain its power and re-establish its course, its doom and utter destruction are all but guaranteed. Above all else, what America needs today is: “True and Genuine Revival!”
It would be real easy for most Christians to readily blame the homosexual community (or the 5 activist Supreme Court judges) for the dilemma that our nation now finds herself in concerning the dismantling of Traditional Marriage. But let’s be totally honest here, the Church is not as pure and as innocent as she might wish to make herself out to be concerning this matter.
The dismantling of Traditional Marriage did not start in the gay community. It’s been a long time in coming, and one can trace its roots back to when men and women quit seeing marriage as a “binding covenant made before God” and began viewing it rather as a “quick claim contract” that could be broken for the slightest of infractions.
Whatever happened to “For better and for worse” and “until death do us part?” Let’s face it; divorce is just as rampant amongst those who claim to know Christ as it is amongst those who don’t know Him at all! The dismantling of Traditional Marriage has been in motion for a long time—and we, the Christian community, are as guilty as anybody else for its present demise.
We’ve allowed the feminists to convince our daughters that a woman doesn’t need a man anymore. And as concerning dads, far too many have been “MIA” for way too long. And because of so many fathers have become so disconnected from their own children (especially their sons) society has redefined the role of “True Biblical Manhood” and is rapidly succeeding in feminizing our own sons.
And just where have been the preachers who have been commissioned by God to sound the alarm and be the “Watchmen on the Walls”? Could it be that far too many are more concerned about personal prestige and job security than they are about the welfare of mankind’s eternal souls?
And then we must ask, “Where have been "the Christians" while all of this mess has been going on? Have we allowed ourselves to become so anesthetized by spiritual and political correctness until we now will accept only “Real good, feel good sermons” that are guaranteed to cause us to experience “goose bumps” and “the warm fuzzies all over” rather than allowing anyone to preach to us the “Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ?”
Yea, I know these are some hard things, but it is my prayer that God will get somebody’s attention. For as tough as things may look presently in our world, we must remember: “As long as there is a God in heaven…ALL IS NOT LOST…for there is nothing going on in our world that has taken our God by surprise!”
Yes, it is true that God’s Word warns us that, “In the Last days that men will call good evil and evil good” (and we are presently seeing that all around us even as I speak). And it is also true that His Word establishes the fact that, “In the Last Days there shall be a great falling away.”
But let’s not stop there, because God’s Word also affirms to us that, “In the Last Days, (says the Lord) I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh!”—Now that’s the promise of a “Last Day’s Revival” if ever I have heard of one!
God longs to revive this lethargic, anemic, 21st century Church that seems to be only hanging on by a thread, as it clings to life support. He longs to re-empower His Church in these Last Days so that when we make our departure, we will leave this world with a “BANG!”
God earnestly desires to restore His Holy Spirit power in our lives, to renew our minds in Him, all in order so that we might be empowered to live victorious for Him in the midst of a world that is without hope. And God wants to “Restore the Fires of Our Souls” and set us ablaze once more with a zealous, fervent, burning passion to “Win the Lost at Any Cost!”
It is my earnest prayer that God will help each of us to be “Kindling” willing to be used by Him as our Lord seeks to ignite this “Fresh Fire” in the midst of a lost and dying world. May Christ help each of us to spiritually prepare ourselves so that He can use “US” in becoming a part of His great, End Times Revival!
Just a Thought,
Pastor ken Jones

Impending Disaster Ahead!

As Americans prepare to celebrate our nation’s 239th birthday this week, I cannot help but to feel a certain anxiety as to what is soon to become a part of America’s fated destiny.
This nation was originally formed, fashioned, and populated by multitudes of thousands of immigrants who fled their native homelands in Europe to come to America. And most of them that came did so seeking religious freedom.
America was seen as a “City on a Hill,” a place where men could come and worship God freely and where men could raise their offspring in the fear and admonition of the Lord without compromising their fundamental Christian beliefs.
These individuals came seeking a place of refuge without fear of a tyrannical government continually seeking to steal from them those very rights or to intimidate and/or eradicate any who would not yield to their dictatorial authority.
It was the very reason that when the Founding Fathers penned the Constitution, they made certain that the very First Amendment in the Bill of Rights would continue to guarantee such rights for Americans in every generation; it was why the Founders worded it like this:
“CONGRESS SHALL MAKE NO LAW RESPECTING AN ESTABLISHMENT OF RELIGION, OR PROHIBITING THE FREE EXERCISE THEREOF; OR ABRIDGING THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH, OR OF THE PRESS; OR THE RIGHT OF PEOPLE TO PEACEABLY TO ASSEMBLE, AND TO PETITION THE GOVERNMENT FOR A REDRESS OF GRIEVANCES.”
How sad it is that in just 239 years, 5 black robed unelected officials have effectively took it upon themselves to overstep the authority of the Constitution. Individuals who have went so far as to take it upon themselves to strike down the very legal definition of marriage, the definition that God the Creator of mankind had originally wrote.
For in Matthew 19, when Jesus was approached about a marital issue, these were His exact words on defining marriage: “HAVE YE NOT READ THAT HE [GOD] WHICH MADE THEM AT THE BEGINNING MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE, AND SAID, FOR THIS CAUSE SHALL A MAN LEAVE FATHER AND MOTHER, AND SHALL CLEAVE TO HIS WIFE…WHAT THEREFORE GOD HATH PUT TOGETHER, LET NO MAN PUT ASUNDER.”
Who are these 5 black robed judges who think that they can supersede and disregard Almighty God, His Word, and the precedence of thousands of years of mankind’s history?
And while hundreds of thousands celebrated in the streets of America at the Supreme Court’s unconstitutional ruling (there is not one word mentioned in the entire constitution where marriage is defined as a constitutional right) my heart wept, as I was eye witness to the fulfillment of End Times prophecy which reminded me that, “In the Last Days they shall call good evil and evil good.”
But the thing that grieved my heart the most is that America doesn’t even realize what she is unleashing upon herself by her continued embracement of every type of sin imaginable (although this week, I believe our nation has reached an unprecedented low).
In the book of Deuteronomy (Ch. 28) God warns of what will happen to any nation who disregards His Word and His laws and chooses to embrace sin instead.
For in this passage God promises that pestilence, plagues, diseases, and natural disasters will overspread that land. He assures us that our enemies will terrorize us with death, destruction, and outright fear; and He also declares that our bountiful land will no longer produce in abundance, thus causing lack and want everywhere.
Maybe you’re reading this, and you’re saying, “But I don’t believe in the Bible.” But just because one doesn’t believe in something doesn’t necessarily make it any less true! So America Be Warned…There Is Impending Disaster Ahead! And when it comes, you just remember, embracing sin, any sin…It Always Has Unintended Consequences!
Yes, I love America. I thank God for America, and I thank God for all those individuals who have sacrificed so much so that I have been able to enjoy the privileges of freedom and liberty that this nation has afforded me.
But now, the very liberties and freedoms that we hold so near and so dear are threatened. And most especially because of our beliefs in Jesus Christ, it seems that our very “Way of life” is now in jeopardy.
But let this world take note. I am not ashamed to be called a Christian. And you may take away my freedom of speech and redefine Truth as hate speech. And you may well label me a bigot because I still continue to believe in the “Book” and I do affirm that all that it says is true.
And because I refuse to acquiesce to this world’s brand of intolerant political correctness, they may well steal from me all my earthly possessions, and their vitriol towards Christianity may so inflame them even to the taking of my very life.
Nevertheless, let it be known this day, I refuse to compromise God’s Word, not one iota of it. I refuse to accept as okay, anything that God in His Word has already condemned. Right is still what God says is right, wrong is still what God says is wrong. And yes, there is still a heaven to gain and a hell to shun and each and every one of us will be going to one or the other.
As a Believer in Jesus Christ, no matter what may come my nation’s way, I have this calm assurance that God is going to take care of me until my tour of duty is ended. But America Be Warned…There Is Impending Disaster Ahead!
National sins demand national judgment, and only sincere and national repentance will stem the tidal wave of God’s judgment and wrath that I fear is about to sweep across this land.
God, please forgive our sins which are multitudinous in number, and help us to humble ourselves before You, and to seek Your face once more…GOD, ONE MORE TIME, PLEASE SEND REVIVAL TO AMERICA!
Just a Thought,
Pastor Ken Jones

True Worshipers

If you were to ask the average person this question: “Why do you think that God has granted you life and placed you here on planet Earth?” I dare say that probably not 1in a 100 could give (or is even aware) of the correct answer.
As human beings, each and every one of us have been created for the same and exact purpose—“We were all created to Praise and Worship Almighty God and His Son Jesus Christ!” Sadly, most people in our world still fail to realize that this is why God made them in the first place.
Nevertheless, God will not force anyone to worship Him; it is why He made each of us a free moral agent- giving every individual our own right to “choose” whom or what we will worship.
God also granted this same privilege to the angels. But God’s angelic praise director, Satan (then called Lucifer); he wanted all the worship for himself. It was why he led a rebellion in heaven and was cast out, taking with him a 1/3 of the angels who, believed his lies, and chose to worship him instead of God.
Throughout the ages, Satan hasn’t changed at all; he still desires all our worship and all our praise. This is why he offers mankind so many other “options” for their worship; for he knows that for them to worship anything other than the “True and Living God” in essence, it is actually worship offered to him.
Just look around us and you cannot help but notice that “All men do truly worship something.” I have also taken notice that even among those who claim that there “Is no God” you will find that, they too, still busy themselves worshiping something. For into mankind’s very DNA there is this desire to worship.
If you want to find out what a person worships, just listen to their conversations for a little while—for the words that come out of our mouths have this tendency to reveal. And they will always reveal those people, places, things, and/or ideals that hold the highest priorities in our lives…literally, “These Are the Things That We Worship!”
As human beings, we worship those things that gratify our senses (whether they be good or evil); we worship our accomplishments; and we surely don’t mind giving praise and worship to those creations that we may have fashioned with our own hands.
But we won’t stop there, for can continually be found worshiping others (sometimes even idolizing our spouses and/or our children), and we especially seem to enjoy worshiping ourselves. …But what God needs from us today are for each of us to GIVE HIM “ALL” OUR WORSHIP AND ALL OUR PRAISE!
Yes, we are all worshipers. And either we are worshiping the “True or Living God…” or else we will be found worshiping “another god…” the one that “WE” have replaced the “Real One” with.
We are all created in the likeness and the image of God. And that was done so that each of us might (willingly) be worshipers of Him! For, you see, “Our Worship” is the only tangible thing that any of us have the ability to create (in and of ourselves) and give back to God that does not represent something that He had already given to us first.
And when it comes to “US” giving God “TRUE WORSHIP” it ought to be a worship that is not contingent upon whether or not others worship Him either.
You see, “True Worship” comes from the depths of our innermost beings. “True Worship” rises above anyone else's ability to manipulate or to coerce it out of us. For “True Worship” willingly pours out from the depths of one's innermost being freely and spontaneously. And it will do so all because we are willing to allow ourselves to become “Consumed with a Passion” to immerse ourselves in God’s presence!
God please help me to always be a “True Worshiper” of You!
Just a Thought,
Pastor Ken Jones

A Special Tribute To Godly Dads

As this Father’s Day approaches, for me, it is a bitter-sweet time of remembrance, for it has been but less than a month ago that I was called home to lay my own Dad to rest.
Although my Dad was well over 80, he had been in reasonably good health; so when tragedy struck without warning, to say that I was somewhat caught “off guard” would be a mild understatement. But then again, who is ever “REALLY” prepared for the death of one that we deeply love?
Nevertheless, I was truly blessed with a Dad (that for most of my life) had exemplified what it means to live the life of a good and godly man. And it is especially with “his” memories so deeply etched into the recesses of my mind that I now pay homage to all the fathers who have set those same examples for their children.
I am a living testimony to the fact that, “No father is ever a perfect Dad” and my Father wasn’t perfect either, nor did he ever claim himself to be. But I knew that when he accepted Christ as his personal Savior, he wholeheartedly tried to live his life committed to God, putting forth a very concerted effort to also help his children to do the same.
No, I didn’t always live up to his expectations, and I’m sure that there were times that I brought sadness to his heart because of bad choices that I sometimes made. But Dad never gave up on praying for me.
My Dad may not have had a deep theological concept of all the tenants of Christianity, but when it came to setting the standard for holy living, my Dad lived the Christian life by example.
I never knew him to lie, cheat, or steal from anyone, and he expected us (my brothers and I) to live by those same standards. My Dad was a strict disciplinarian, but he was always fair. That did not mean that we always did right, but boy we sure did our best to make certain that Dad never found out if our actions ever crossed those lines. And I well understood “rewards for righteousness and punishment for evil” long before I comprehended the teachings of Scripture.
Nevertheless, how grateful I am that Dad instilled in me (even in my youth) that morality, integrity, and hard work go hand in hand with living godly. And Dad wasn’t much on “Hand Outs”… but he was all into giving those less fortunate a “Hand Up.”
As a Father myself, I hope that when the day arrives that God calls me home that my children will also be able to call me a good and a godly Dad. And to all fathers reading this letter, if ever there has been a generation that is in such dire need of fathers who will be men of integrity and honor, this is that generation.
All kids need the love of a father’s hug and they need a man to show them what “real” manhood is all about. If a man truly loves his family, he’ll see that their needs are provided, he will protect them from harm, and above all else, he will show them Jesus.
All fathers have been commissioned with the same duty, and when it comes to our children there are 2 invaluable lessons that we must make certain that our children know.
First (and foremost) Dads, we must learn to “lead by example” and show our children how to make heaven home. For of a certainty, this life (at best) is only temporary, and all of us will one day spend eternity somewhere. Without a doubt, there is a “REAL” Heaven for all to gain, and a “REAL” Hell for all to shun.
Lastly, we must also teach our children how to make a living and survive in this world when we are no longer around, for the “Law of Averages” says that most of them are still going to be here long after we are gone.
May God help each of us who are Fathers to make sure that we are living godly lives and that we are positively impacting the most precious gifts that God gives to any parent—“Our Children!”
And to the children: If are blessed to have your Dad to still be alive today, please don’t wait until it’s too late to say how thankful you are (to God) for him.
Just a Thought,
Pastor Ken Jones

The Wall Has Been Breached

In recent days, America’s Supreme Court has taken it upon themselves to overstep their bounds of authority—using the bully pulpit of “Judicial Tyranny” not just to interpret law but to re-write law itself. But the problem (this time) with their massive judicial over-reach is that they decided that they know more about the laws that govern men than Almighty God.
So in open defiance to the Living Lord, they have effectively rejected God’s interpretation of what marriage should be and they have inserted their own perverted interpretation of God’s most sacred institution.
I am a firm Believer, (as were the Founders of this nation) that our world consists of certain Undeniable Truths, certain Inalienable Rights, and that these rights were given by God for the lasting endurance and prosperity of mankind. I further believe that “Marriage” as being defined as being “BETWEEN ONE MAN AND ONE WOMAN as being one of them!
Now if you happen to be one of those misguided people in our world who have been duped into believing that there are no Moral Absolutes of Right and Wrong, but that in every area of life you can simply apply your own version of “Moral Relativism” and “Situational Ethics” and everything will work out just fine, then it’s evident that you have been sipping way too much of the Kool-Aid!
Rest assured, everything that any of us say or do, every decision that we will ever make, they all have consequences, and many of those consequences are inescapable, and unavoidable, no matter how warped or twisted one’s view on reality might be!
As concerning America, I believe that if we do not soon reverse course and turn back towards God instead of away from Him, I fear that we shall soon cease to exist as the great nation that we were once known to be. God has given us some very credible warning signs, and these are found written in His Word. And I do not take these lightly, for I’ve read the Book, and the warning signs of our impending demise are unmistakable!
Take, for example the passage of Scripture found in Jeremiah 39. The time is 6th century B.C. For over 700 years, Israel had enjoyed the blessings of God upon their nation. King Zedekiah now leads the nation as Babylon’s puppet king because the Babylonians have subdued the Jewish nation.
God has allowed this travesty to happen because His chosen people had rebelled against Him, accepting idolatry and all the evils associated with it (including child sacrifice as well as every manner of sexual perversion imaginable). Sadly, these same sins have become the “Accepted Norm” of our society-at-large (abortion, adultery, homosexuality, etc.).
King Zedekiah decides to rebel against his oppressors, but Jeremiah the prophet warns the king to honor the oath he had made to the Babylonians, for God will not deliver the nation because of their willful embracement of so many sins. Zedekiah refuses to heed the prophet’s warnings and Nebuchadnezzar’s army besieges the city.
For 18 months King Zedekiah is protected by Jerusalem’s fortifications, but with the passing of each day, the enemy draws nearer. Finally, in the 4th month (the month of Tammuz) on the 9th day of the month, “THE WALL IS BREACHED” and the Babylonian armies overwhelm the city. They burn it with fire, destroying the temple; carrying off much of the populace into slavery, slaying all the leaders, blinding the king and then carrying him off to die in a foreign land.
Maybe you are thinking, “Well, what does this have to do with America?” So let me tell you. On the Hebrew calendar, the date mentioned is “the 9th of Tammuz.” But if you were to translate that date to our modern day calendar, you will find that this date is June 26.
So here it is. Exactly two thousand, six hundred, and one years after the walls of Jerusalem were breached, on the 26th of June 2015, right here in America, 5 black robed, unelected Supreme Court judges made the choice for this nation to spit upon the precepts of Almighty God as they (unconstitutionally) redefined marriage. This date is just too precise for this to be a mere co-incident!
Now, I fear that because of this utter disregard for God’s Laws, America’s Walls Have Also Been Breached” and this nation is about to experience firsthand, what it is like to exist without the Hand of God’s protection to halt the judgments that are now heading our way.
We are told that because homosexuality is a civil rights issue, no one can discriminate against it. But let’s be truthful here: Homosexuality is not a civil rights issue…IT IS A SIN ISSUE! And if we will not call sin what God calls sin, even God cannot help us! America take note: “The permissive views of our current society are not sufficient grounds for denouncing Divine Law!”
The Bible is crystal clear in its condemnation of the practice of homosexuality. It describes such an immoral act in the same context as incest and bestiality. To accept any one of these sins is on the same level as accepting them all!
Because a few were offended, the Bible was taken out of our public schools…because a few were offended prayer was next removed. Because there were some women who were offended because they could not kill their babies before they were born, abortion suddenly became the law of the land…And now, marriage has been perverted and redefined so as to not offend those who lust after living a perverted lifestyle…But What Are We Going To Do About Offending God?
America be warned! One day soon God is going to say, “Enough is Enough” and judgment will most assuredly fall, for God will always uphold the precepts of His Word.
So how do we “REPAIR THE BREACH?” How do we restore the protection of God’s hand upon our land once more? … “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (II Chronicles 7:14)…TRUE AND GENUINE REVIVAL!
Just a Thought,
Pastor Ken Jones

Growing Up is Hard to Do

Tidbits of Truth: Growing Up Is Hard To Do
Sometimes it is “so difficult” for us to accept the Promises of God that He has specifically set aside for each of our lives. And most of us especially struggle when (by all apparent appearances) those promises end up delayed, or even worse, the fulfillment of those promises seem to be denied altogether. We certainly are not the first to struggle with these kinds of issues, and I’m sure we won’t be the last. Just look at the life of David.
God sends Samuel to Bethlehem to anoint a new king for Israel. The prophet sends word to Jesse to bring all his sons down to the worship service because God has told the prophet that the new king would be from the house of Jesse. But David, who is the youngest, who is considered so insignificant by his father, isn’t even brought.
As the first 7 sons are brought forward, God informs Samuel that none of these are His choice. When David is finally summoned, God say’s to His prophet, “this is the one that I choose.” So David is anointed as king…and then what happens? His father sends him right back out to the fields to tend to those sheep.
Literally years pass by before anything in David’s life ever changes. Not until David takes food to his 3 eldest brothers who are now soldiers in the army of Israel, when the army had squared off against the Philistines, does David begin to realize that God’s promises are true.
David slays Goliath, and instantly the shepherd boy becomes a national hero. It appears that God has, at long last, positioned David to become the recipient of all those earlier promises that Samuel had made to him years before.
David instantly gains the favor of the people as well as the respect of the army. The king elevates him to the position of commander-in-chief. He’s even given the king’s daughter to marry.
Now he’s got the princess, he’s got the position, and he’s got the favor of the people, and it looks like everything is on the fast track to placing him on the throne … But not so fast, for God knows that He needs to mature young David before he will ever be capable of fulfilling his calling.
***Only maturity doesn’t come from mountain top experiences, maturity comes at a price… And those things that make all of us “grow up”…they only happen when we go through the struggles and hardships of this life!***
There are times that it may seem like our whole world is caving in and instead of us moving closer to receiving the promises of God in our lives; life instead give us all the appearance that we are getting farther and farther away from them. Nevertheless, it is how we conduct ourselves in those difficult and challenging times that reveal just how far we have come in that “Growing Up Process” with God!
Unfortunately, it is also in those times of great duress and trials that some of us have experienced our greatest failures in our relationships with God. (But not to worry, for if we don’t pass the test today, God will let us take the test all over again tomorrow Because God doesn’t give up on people like “we” give up on people!)
As fast as David had rose to superstardom in his nation, at an even faster pace, so also came his downfall. King Saul began to see David as the greatest threat to his throne, so he sets his sights on destroying him. Literally overnight, David went from this highly respected military leader with national celebrity status to public enemy #1—with a bounty on his head, to be brought in “DEAD or ALIVE.”
And what does this David do? He runs for his life. The devil has so adversely affected his thought processes until David succumbed to a SPIRIT OF FEAR! And as long as David was in that state of mind, he could not remember (nor could he believe) in any of those “Promises” that God had made to him concerning his life and his future!” Fear will always disconnect our minds from receiving the Promises of God. But finally, like a man who was awaking from some lethargic slumber, David began to come regain his trust in God.
In all fairness, we are not much different than David are we? For hasn’t there been times in all our lives that we too, ended up in places that God never intended for us to go, doing things that God never intended for us to do, and then trying to get out of the messes that we got ourselves in—all because we had gotten out of the will of God with our own lives?
Somehow David began again to remember the promises of God to him. The next time we find David, he’s over at the cave of Adullam—(Adullam literally means refuge). It was located in the Land of Judah—(Judah means the Place of Praise). DAVID FINDS REFUGE IN THE PLACE OF PRAISE! And there, God also brings 400 others to join up with him.
And these men that join him, they will eventually become the "mightiest of the mightiest" of all the warriors that will ever be found in Israel—all men who will later prove themselves loyal to the king for the entire 40 years that he rules the nation.
The fact of the matter in David’s life was this: It wasn’t that God had forgotten about him during all those trying years, it was just that God needed to mature him to become the man that God needed him to be!
Just a Thought,
Pastor Ken Jones

Danger Ahead

Tidbits of Truth: Danger Ahead!
What is it that America needs to fear? Is it radical Islam? Is it a nuclear Iran? Is it complete government control of every aspect of our lives? Or is it cancer or some other incurable dreaded disease that is about to break out in some widespread epidemic?
Perhaps all of these things are concerns of ours, but “to me” nothing is more concerning than to imagine living in a nation that becomes one that is no longer is a recipient of the blessings of God!
In II Samuel 21, God literally cut off the rain to the entire nation of Israel. So, for 3 years running, Israel experienced famine throughout the land. When David sought God as to why these natural calamities had befallen his kingdom, God informed King David, “This is because of Saul (Israel’s former king), and his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites.”
Joshua had made a deal that the Gibeonites (although not true Hebrews) would have the right to live in the Promised Land. Saul, because of his own personal prejudices, attempted to massacre the very same people that had received that promise…and he almost succeeded.
His wicked actions in murdering those innocent people were the direct cause of God releasing the natural disasters that now plagued the nation during David’s reign.
And more especially, because no one was willing to stand up to defend those innocent people… and because no one was willing to demand righteousness and integrity of their national leaders… this made these sins not just the personal sins of the national leadership, but they also became national sins for the entire nation. Sins ignored, and sins “swept under the rug” were now the root cause of God shutting off the rain!
***If national sins, which were sanctioned by national leaders, and ignored by the populace, brought about the judgment of God upon the nation of Israel, what does this imply that is soon coming to America?***
I’m sure that most of you saw at least some portion of the news reports this last week, as it highlighted the anarchy that literally ran rampant over much of an American city. What began as a peaceful protest of thousands of citizens over the controversial death of Freddie Gray (while he was in police custody) soon turned into absolute mayhem.
In a single night, almost 150 vehicles were torched, more than 200 homes and businesses were either looted or burned to the ground, and more than 100 law enforcement officers (while serving in the line of duty) were grievously assaulted and injured while rioters pelted them with bricks and stones.
I could hardly believe my ears when I saw the city’s own mayor make a public announcement made that, “Room had to be made so that the rioters could have the right to destroy.” While at the same time, she gave the order for law enforcement to “Stand Down” an order that gave free reign for the hoodlums and thugs of that city to pillage, steal, burn, and destroy at will.
Now I do not know all the details of that situation. I do not know the guilt or innocence of those charged in the Freddie Gray case. But I do know this: That since the passing of Roe V. Wade in 1973 that the more than 55 million babies lives have been destroyed right here in America (and continue to be destroyed at a rate of more than 3,000+ a day), and I know that none of those babies have ever cheated anyone, ever stole anything, and none of them ever committed any crime of any kind! I can assure you that “THEIR” innocent blood continues to cry out to God daily.
America, as a nation, we now have leaders that seemingly want to endorse every type of sin humanly imaginable. We make pornography available to our children (What kid do you know who doesn’t now have a cell phone that’s connected to the internet?)…our nation now openly sanctions same sex marriage, we encourage our youth to be sexually permissive, we have entire states where the use of narcotics have been legalized, and we encourage adults to steal food out of the mouths of their own children by convincing them they can win it big on the lottery.
If God sent judgment on the nation of Israel because her leaders put their seal of approval on sin…and because her people refused to speak out against those sins…WHERE DOES THIS LEAVE AMERICA TODAY?
America be warned, God’s blessings made us what we are, and where will be if God chooses to pour our His wrath upon us instead?
Maybe you are saying, “But Pastor, what can we do?” So here it is: “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turning from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, I will forgive their sins, and I will heal their land.” AMERICA BE WARNED! Willful sinning and the shedding of innocent blood still requires God’s justice and releases His judgment!
Just a Thought,
Pastor Ken Jones

Growing Up is Hard to Do

Tidbits of Truth: Growing Up Is Hard To Do
Sometimes it is “so difficult” for us to accept the Promises of God that He has specifically set aside for each of our lives. And most of us especially struggle when (by all apparent appearances) those promises end up delayed, or even worse, the fulfillment of those promises seem to be denied altogether. We certainly are not the first to struggle with these kinds of issues, and I’m sure we won’t be the last. Just look at the life of David.
God sends Samuel to Bethlehem to anoint a new king for Israel. The prophet sends word to Jesse to bring all his sons down to the worship service because God has told the prophet that the new king would be from the house of Jesse. But David, who is the youngest, who is considered so insignificant by his father, isn’t even brought.
As the first 7 sons are brought forward, God informs Samuel that none of these are His choice. When David is finally summoned, God say’s to His prophet, “this is the one that I choose.” So David is anointed as king…and then what happens? His father sends him right back out to the fields to tend to those sheep.
Literally years pass by before anything in David’s life ever changes. Not until David takes food to his 3 eldest brothers who are now soldiers in the army of Israel, when the army had squared off against the Philistines, does David begin to realize that God’s promises are true.
David slays Goliath, and instantly the shepherd boy becomes a national hero. It appears that God has, at long last, positioned David to become the recipient of all those earlier promises that Samuel had made to him years before.
David instantly gains the favor of the people as well as the respect of the army. The king elevates him to the position of commander-in-chief. He’s even given the king’s daughter to marry.
Now he’s got the princess, he’s got the position, and he’s got the favor of the people, and it looks like everything is on the fast track to placing him on the throne … But not so fast, for God knows that He needs to mature young David before he will ever be capable of fulfilling his calling.
***Only maturity doesn’t come from mountain top experiences, maturity comes at a price… And those things that make all of us “grow up”…they only happen when we go through the struggles and hardships of this life!***
There are times that it may seem like our whole world is caving in and instead of us moving closer to receiving the promises of God in our lives; life instead give us all the appearance that we are getting farther and farther away from them. Nevertheless, it is how we conduct ourselves in those difficult and challenging times that reveal just how far we have come in that “Growing Up Process” with God!
Unfortunately, it is also in those times of great duress and trials that some of us have experienced our greatest failures in our relationships with God. (But not to worry, for if we don’t pass the test today, God will let us take the test all over again tomorrow Because God doesn’t give up on people like “we” give up on people!)
As fast as David had rose to superstardom in his nation, at an even faster pace, so also came his downfall. King Saul began to see David as the greatest threat to his throne, so he sets his sights on destroying him. Literally overnight, David went from this highly respected military leader with national celebrity status to public enemy #1—with a bounty on his head, to be brought in “DEAD or ALIVE.”
And what does this David do? He runs for his life. The devil has so adversely affected his thought processes until David succumbed to a SPIRIT OF FEAR! And as long as David was in that state of mind, he could not remember (nor could he believe) in any of those “Promises” that God had made to him concerning his life and his future!” Fear will always disconnect our minds from receiving the Promises of God. But finally, like a man who was awaking from some lethargic slumber, David began to come regain his trust in God.
In all fairness, we are not much different than David are we? For hasn’t there been times in all our lives that we too, ended up in places that God never intended for us to go, doing things that God never intended for us to do, and then trying to get out of the messes that we got ourselves in—all because we had gotten out of the will of God with our own lives?
Somehow David began again to remember the promises of God to him. The next time we find David, he’s over at the cave of Adullam—(Adullam literally means refuge). It was located in the Land of Judah—(Judah means the Place of Praise). DAVID FINDS REFUGE IN THE PLACE OF PRAISE! And there, God also brings 400 others to join up with him.
And these men that join him, they will eventually become the "mightiest of the mightiest" of all the warriors that will ever be found in Israel—all men who will later prove themselves loyal to the king for the entire 40 years that he rules the nation.
The fact of the matter in David’s life was this: It wasn’t that God had forgotten about him during all those trying years, it was just that God needed to mature him to become the man that God needed him to be!
Just a Thought,
Pastor Ken Jones

When Calamity Comes

Tidbits of Truth: When Calamity Comes…
I wish it was where that I could give the assurance to people (and especially to Christian people) that tragedy, sorrows, and the loss of those whom we so deeply love…that these are distresses that we are all exempt from…but unfortunately, I cannot.
And for those of you that have been around for any period of time, you already know the sober truth of the Realities of Life- no matter how good of a person you might well be, your goodness will not exempt you from heartache or sorrow.
This past week, I drove a 1,000 miles to go and lay my Father to rest. I could hardly believe it when I got the call, a fire had swept thru his home, and he was unable to make it out alive.
I remembered my Dad when he used to live in sin, and I also remembered what a change God had made in his life. After Dad committed his life to Jesus, my Dad became a “very godly man.” And it was he, “above all others” that had been the overwhelming influence in my own life in accepting Christ as my own personal Savior.
As I made that long and arduous journey back to where he had once resided, I had a multitude of hours to reflect on what words could I possibly say that might bring comfort to others who were grieving at his loss, especially as I struggled in my own mind to find peace for my own soul.
For in dealing with death, I am no different than anyone else; death and sorrow still tears at the fabric of our heart just as much as it does all others. And although I’ve been in ministry for well over 40 years, and although I’ve had to deal with the death and the loss of so many that I have loved so dearly, yet, I still have not found some immunity that inoculates me from contracting a broken heart.
Nevertheless…down in the depths of my spirit, I suddenly found comfort and peace in the only source that comfort and peace can come from…and His name is Jesus.
For even at my Dad's passing, I had the assurance that he was in a better place; all that he had to suffer and endure while living life in this world, why for him (and every Believer) this is as bad as it gets. You see, for a Christian, when we breathe that final breath, it’s not our end…IT SIMPLY SIGNALS THE BEGINNING OF A NEW AND BETTER LIFE…AND ONE THAT LASTS FOREVER! Paul said, “To be absent in the body is to be present with the Lord.” So I know with calm assurance that Dad is finally with the Savior that he so loved and adored.
On the day of my Dad’s funeral, God extended to me His grace and His strength in an unprecedented way, as the Lord helped me to say what I know needed to be said. And if my Dad had been there, I sure hope it would have made him proud. But I knew he wasn’t there, for he’d already made his journey home.
And yes, I still shed hot tears at our temporary separation. I still struggled with the fact that on this earth, Dad and I would never have another conversation, and I’d never again be able to hug his neck and remind him again about how much that I loved him and how much that I thanked God for sending him to be my Dad.
Maybe you’re in that struggle of your own today. So before I close, let me encourage you with this, and especially to those of you who are also struggling with the loss of those you love.
God…in His time…has the power to bring healing to every hurting heart, no matter how badly we may be broken… and no matter how deep we may have been wounded by our sufferings or our loss.
Jesus never promised any of us that there would not be times that bad things would not come our way, for we all live in a sinful world, and the curses caused by sin, at times, do negatively affect us all.
Nevertheless, Jesus “DID” promise us this: He promised us that, “He would never leave us or forsake us, but that He would go with us, even to the ends of the world.” And He did that so none of us would ever have to face our sorrows, sufferings, or our losses alone…Thank God for His “Amazing Grace!”
Just a Thought,
Pastor Ken Jones

When God Has Other Plans

Tidbits of Truth: When God Has “Other” Plans
Everything in this life does not always work out the way we plan for them to. This is one of those undeniable, irrefutable, absolute truths that we all know to be factually correct. One account in Scripture that addresses this very issue has to do with the life of Jacob.
Jacob was the younger of twins, and he was born into a very dysfunctional family. As a grown man (and with the aid of his mother) he intentionally deceived his father into giving “him” the birthright that his brother had every intention of attaining for himself even though Esau had already sold that birthright (in an act of impatience) to Jacob, and for nothing more than a bowl of porridge.
Furthermore, God had already given His word that Jacob would be the inheritor of the birthright, only Jacob and his mom wouldn’t wait for God to work things out, so they decided to give God a little help. (Ever been there and done that?...I have.)
Well, through deception and trickery, Jacob and his mom succeeded in their little act of deception, but when his brother found out that he had been robbed of the birth right, he suddenly had “murder on his mind” so Jacob had to suddenly flee for his very life.
If ever there was a case of “reaping what you have sown” Jacob became the epitome of that example. For 20 years his scheming Uncle Laban had taken advantage of him on every turn. Finally, Jacob decided “enough was enough” so he sets out for home, hoping his brother has gotten over his vengeful desires that he had once possessed towards Jacob in the past.
However, when Esau hears of his brother’s soon arrival; he gathers 400 men (a veritable army) to go and to meet his brother. Jacob is afraid, so he quickly devises a plan in which he hopes to convince his brother into sparing his life. He then sends his wives and kids over on the other side of a brook, while he goes back to the other side of that brook to spend some “ALONE” time with God. And Jacob does the only thing that he felt he was able to do in defusing this situation—he goes off to pray.
Hardly before he can even get a prayer off the ground, suddenly out of nowhere, an unknown intruder appears…and all He wants to do is fight; so all night long these 2 tussle. Jacob doesn’t want to fight, he came here to pray, to ask God to help him avoid becoming involved in a fight with Esau…remember?
But God Has Other Plans! (Have you ever started out to do something, and due to circumstances that were completely beyond your control, the thing you started out to do, it never turned out in any kind of way that you had intended for it to?) That was exactly where Jacob was this night.
Jacob had come here to pray to God to make sure that his brother had experienced a “Change of Heart” since their last encounter, but God decided that it was going to be “Jacob” who was going to have this “Change of Heart” experience, not Esau.
(I wonder how many times that we have prayed for God to change somebody else…and all the time, God knew that it was “US” and not “THEM” that really needed to do the changing.)
All night long, the clash continues. No sleep, no rest, not even time to put in a good prayer…by the wee hours of the morning, the only thing that Jacob has strength left to do is to just hold on. It was probably just about here that Jacob began to realize that “This Was No Man Thing…This Was a God Thing” for it was ‘GOD’ who had sent this opposition in his direction… (Boy that will mess with your mind, won’t it?).
Jacob finally realizes that the greatest achievement that he can ever attain is in receiving the blessings of God upon His life. As “CHANGE” begins to take place in his life. He is totally exhausted. Nevertheless, he tells the angel, “I will not turn loose unless you bless me.” And bless him the Angel of the Lord did; only, “Blessings don’t always come the way that we expect them to.”
The Lord first changes his name from Jacob—(trickster) to Israel—(Prince with God). And then, to show Jacob that God had been in charge all the time, with only a “flick of His finger” God…causes Jacob’s entire hip to suddenly be jerked out of socket as the sinew of his thigh just shrivels up.
It affects Jacob to such a degree until, for the rest of his life, he will walk with a limp…but “His Limp” did not come before Jacob got his Blessing!
How bad do we want God’s Blessings on our Lives? For there are times that God’s blessings come to us free and without charge…but there are also other times that God’s Blessings come with a price tag connected to them!
So if things aren’t working out the way “WE” planned, just perhaps: “God May Have Some Other Plans” for our Lives!
Just a Thought,
Pastor Ken Jones

The Ultimate Deceiver

Tidbits of Truth: The Ultimate Deceiver
God’s Word is very clear concerning the warning of His children to make certain that we are always on our guard because there are those in this world who may have all the trappings of being very religious…but in all reality… “THEY “DO NOT” HAVE OUR BEST INTENTIONS AT HEART!”
It’s the reason that I John 4:1 tells us: "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God." The only problem with this Scripture is this: “There are so many of God’s children who know so little about spirits, they couldn’t tell the difference between a ‘God Spirit’ and a ‘Lying Spirit’ if their lives depended on it.
Scripture warns us that Satan has the ability to put on the facade of being an “Angel of Light” and he often does so in order to mislead and destroy the souls of men. God defines him as a “Demon of Darkness” going about as a roaring lion seeking souls whom he may devour.
God has already established his eternal destination: one day he shall be cast into the eternal Lake of Fire where he will burn forever and forever. However, until his final sentence is passed, and he is cast into the Lake of Fire…our Adversary (Satan) is continually seeking out other souls that he can drag down to eternal torment with him.
And lest any of us think that we are so sanctimonious and super-spiritual until we are above ever being deceived, you had better heed the Words of Jesus spoken in Matthew 24:22. For there, Christ says this concerning Satan power of deception and the End Times: “AND EXCEPT THOSE DAYS SHOULD BE SHORTENED, THERE SHOULD NO FLESH BE SAVED…”
Therefore, it is absolutely imperative that each of us must be ever on our guard. Satan doesn’t just use the vilest of sinners to do his bidding, oftentimes he cleverly uses those who wear the garb of Christianity, but who (in all reality) are all about their own personal, selfish, self-serving purposes.
There is a passage of Scripture found in the Old Testament (I Kings 13) that describes a young prophet of God who was sent to pronounce judgment upon a nation. God used him mightily, and told him when he had finished his commission he was to eat no food or drink no drink, but he was to return straight home as soon as his task had been completed.
The young prophet fulfilled his duties and then he set out for home; just as God had told him to. But there was also this other “old” prophet. He went and told the young prophet that God had sent an angel to him that told him to bring the young prophet back to his house and give him food and drink. However, Scripture give us this sobering assessment of the words of the old prophet when it states: “BUT HE LIED UNTO HIM.”
That “LIE” ended up costing the young prophet his very life. His life was snuffed out prematurely all because he had been deceived by a man who posed himself to be a man of God. Ironic isn’t it? But Satan is still the “Ultimate Deceiver” and he doesn’t care who or how he deceives us, as long as he deceives us and brings us down.
So how do we, as Believers of Christ, avoid such deceivers in our day? How is it that we can be certain of the “Genuine” from those who are merely “Clever and Deceptive Imitations?”
Let me share 7 insights that (hopefully) will help to keep us from ever being deceived like this young prophet was:
1. Know the Word, for anyone who tells you anything that is contrary to God’s Word does not speak for God.
2. Never lend your ears to anyone who “IS NOT” totally sold out and wholly committed to God.
3. Be wary of all who operate with only their own personal agendas in mind.
4. Watch out for any minister or ministry that must always tear down others in order to build theirs up. (God never intended for any ministry to cannibalize on another.)
5. Be careful of those who are all about ministry, but they, themselves are never about going out there and doing those labor intensive aspects that are connected to ministry.
6. Be forever on your guard of those who are always claiming to be “Speaking for God” but at the same time, there are questionable things going on in their own lives.
7. No person can be a great leader for God if first they are not a great follower of God. And no person can be a great follower of God if they refuse to put down roots somewhere and spiritually mature.
This list is by no means an exhaustive one, but if we are willing to put these insights into practice in our own lives, Satan will never be able to mislead any of us. Live holy, live healthy, and above all else, live ever on your guard against the evil and deceptive practices of the enemy of our souls!
Just a Thought,
Pastor Ken Jones

Getting Our Focus Back

The devil is always attempting to “Distort our Views.” And if we are not ever on our guard, the devil will cause us to “See things that aren’t really there,” and what we once perceived as “Reality” often ends up being nothing more than mere “Figments of our Imaginations.”
So today, I want to help some of God’s children to be able to look beyond the illusions that the devil uses to so negatively affect our visions. Satan was, is, and will always be, “The Accuser of the Brethren”. And for all who’s Vision has become damaged, distorted, or diminished, it is my prayer that God will help you to: “GET YOUR FOCUS BACK!”
In the book of Mark (Ch.8) Jesus had come to a town called Bethsaida. And while there, there are some people who bring their blind friend to Jesus that He might heal him. But unlike all the other miracles that Jesus performed, “This Time” Jesus does not instantly perform the miracle needed. “This Time” something is different. “This Time” before Jesus will heal the man… He must first take him out of town. And then, after Jesus heals the man, He tells him “NOT” to return to town, so what’s this all about?
Bethsaida just happened to be one of the cities reprimanded by Jesus “For Its Unbelief” (Matthew 11:21). When Jesus did miracles in their town, the people were unimpressed. Christ therefore knew that if this man was going to be healed by Him, he had to be taken “OUT” of Bethsaida.
Sometimes, for Jesus to do something powerful in our lives there are some people/places/things that we too, have to avoid. It seems that this blind man had allowed himself to be influenced by the “Lack of Faith” and by the “Lack of Commitment to Christ” of the citizens of this city. So in order to do anything in this man’s life… Jesus had to get him out of Bethsaida…and keep him out.
Somewhere along Life’s Road, this man’s vision had departed. And one day he found himself completely and totally blind. Something in Life had robbed him of the very eyesight that he had probably (so often) taken for granted. But the day came when this blind man's friends heard about Jesus. They led their friend to the “Only One” that had the capacity to restore his blinded eyes.
Nevertheless, it seems that even after coming into Christ’s presence, he still struggles with believing that Christ has the power to restore that which he had lost. Undeterred, Christ led him outside the city limits, and the first thing that Christ did was to take some of his own spittle, and to rub it in the blind man’s eyes.
I know there are a lot of people who would have been deeply offended at the unorthodox manner by which Christ chose to perform this miracle. But when your vision is so messed up until you can no longer see the light of day, you quickly learn how to “GET OVER” all the little things in life by which you used to be so deeply offended by.
When do we “GET IT?” People are people, and we all are people. And as such, to one degree or another “ALL” of us are “MESSED UP!” The only difference between any of us is the fact that “Some of us are just a little more ‘Messed Up’ than perhaps everybody else!”
So don’t get your eyes on me, because I’m probably just as “Messed Up” as you are (maybe even worse). Instead, you just go ahead and “Get Your Eyes On Jesus!” And if you will be willing to do that, it will help you to get your focus off of all the faults and failures and missteps of everybody else!
After rubbing the spit in his eyes Christ asked the man, “What do you see?” the man replied: he said, “I see men as trees walking.” He had gotten just enough of Jesus as to be able to make out the difference between men and trees, but his vision was still, “Out of Focus!”
Sometimes we just want to get close enough to God be able to “Make Out the Shadows,” but God doesn’t want any of His children walking around, bumping into everything, stumbling over everything, and falling flat on our faces about every 3rd step. Because God knows that if we do that, then it will only be a matter of time until the devil will cause us to fall down so hard until we won’t ever be able to get back up again!
This man’s sight was imperfect, but Christ didn’t leave him in that miserable condition. Instead, Christ puts His hands on this man’s eyes and forced him to look up. And as soon as he “LOOKED UP” his sight was completely restored.
“Just maybe” if all of us would spend a little more time “Looking Up” instead of looking at every THING and/or at every ONE else, then “Just Maybe” there would be a lot more of us who could “Get Our Focus Back!”
Just a Thought,
Pastor Ken Jones