Jesus Christ is Lord, God and King.

Jesus Christ lived for me, died for me, and lives again for me. No one else will ever do that.

Jesus Christ has cleansed me from all unrighteousness and has given me eternal life. No one else can do that.

Jesus Christ lives in me by his Spirit because he wants to be near me. No one else wants to be that close to me.

No one loves me like Jesus does. No one ever will.

Jesus Christ is trustworthy and honest. He never lies to me; he always tells me the truth.

I love the Lord Jesus Christ. I try every day to live for him, to bring him glory, and every day I fail. I fail to live the life that he lived. Thank God he lived it for me so when I fail his grace is sufficient.

Jesus allowed me to be born of parents with no peers. Thank you, Lord.

Jesus gives me air to breathe, water to drink, food to eat, and a place to sleep. Thank you, Lord.

Jesus gave me a brother and two sisters. Thank you, Lord.

Jesus led me to my patient wife, my gift from God. Thank you, Lord.

Jesus allowed us to have three daughters that have grown to be lovely in every way. Thank you, Lord.

Jesus has blessed our family with love, honesty and faithfulness. My children all love us, love each other, and love Jesus. Thank you, Lord.

Jesus has always paid the bills. Thank you, Lord.

Jesus has blessed us with three caring sons-in-law that love our girls and grandchildren. Thank you, Lord.

Jesus has blessed my wife with the ability to love and care for over 350 developmentally disabled people. Thank you, Lord.

Jesus has blessed me to walk out the calling he's given me and to bless people, in his name, in Gig Harbor and all over the globe. Thank you, Lord.

Jesus has always been, and will always be, my teacher.

Jesus has healed me numerous times and put me back on my feet to serve him and others. Thank you, Lord.

Jesus has taught me about his Father and his Holy Spirit. Thank you, Lord.

Jesus has literally saved my life at least six times that I know of. Thank you, Lord.

Jesus has allowed me to pray for people and see miracles happen. Thank you, Lord.

Jesus has allowed me to cast out demons and heal the sick. Thank you, Lord.

Jesus has given me eternal friendships from one end of the earth to the other. Thank you, Lord.

Jesus continues to teach me, train me, and entrust eternal things to me. Thank you, Lord.

Jesus comforts me and strengthens me. Thank you, Lord.

Jesus speaks to me in my spirit. I am never alone. Thank you, Lord.

Jesus has given me a heart for the world. Thank you, Lord.

Jesus has allowed me to feel his pain for broken people. Thank you, Lord.

Jesus has conquered fear in me. Thank you, Lord.

Jesus has never given up on me. Thank you, Lord.

Jesus will finish the work he started in me. Thank you, Lord.

I could go on and on with thanksgiving for what Jesus has done for me, my family and all who have attended church with us. At the end of the day I know that Jesus loves me. Thank you, Lord.

I know he's always with me. I know he'll never leave me or forsake me. I know he's given me everything I need for life and godliness. I know that he's blessed me with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms. I know that his glory is upon me when I suffer for his sake.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Lord.

Recent surveys reveal that most people in the United States consider themselves Christian but can't define in simple terms exactly what being a Christian is. (Imagine if you said you were a plumber but couldn't define what it means to be a plumber.) Why say you're a Christian when you can't even define it? What's the point?

Jesus came to give stark clarity to a dying world. He came to explain the situation the people were in regarding their relationship to God, the One True God. He told them clearly they were in trouble and needed to understand how much trouble they were in. Later, his apostles expounded on this at great length.

Jesus didn't just lay out the problem; he solved the problem. By his death and resurrection he made it possible for man to be reconciled to God.

In my opinion, the number one reason for becoming a Christian is to be certain you'll be spending your eternity with God. Otherwise you'll be spending it with the devil and his angels. You pick.

The number two reason would be to spend your eternity with God. Want to hear my number three reason?

While we're on earth waiting to be eternally with God we can help others have the same hope. It's pretty simple to offer people this hope. Not all accept it and that's up to them. But it isn't difficult to offer the hope we have to others. And, that's a pretty good reason for being a Christian.

One of my favorite verses is Malachi 2:7:

For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, and from his mouth men should seek instruction because he is the messenger of the LORD Almighty.

In Christ, all Christians are priests of God and serve in His presence. In His presence He instructs us in His ways, reveals His nature and character, and imparts Himself to, and through, us.

As priests we are His ambassadors, sent into the world to share the Good News that He has revealed to us. As Spirit-taught, Spirit-led, prophetic priests, we are to preserve this message as it was originally given by Jesus Himself and courageously share it with the world.

As messengers of the LORD Almighty our lips are to preserve knowledge, and, if men should seek instruction from our lips, it is our responsibility to accurately and consistently speak as those taught and led by the Spirit of God. True ambassadors do not express their own opinions but only those of the One that sent them. The result is that people are strengthened, encouraged and comforted by God.

Let’s take this one step further. To prophecy means to speak forth as inspired by the Spirit of God. This means we’re not limited to just the Gospel; we are to speak forth as messengers of God in any way He chooses. For example, the Holy Spirit will manifest Himself in words of wisdom, words of knowledge, discerning of spirits, etc. He will give utterance through us before kings and princes. He will inspire unschooled men and women to speak with a clarity and wisdom that is not merely the result of study or knowledge. He chooses the so-called foolish to confound the wise.

The other day I was asked how people sitting around a table in Washington state could grasp world politics better than those in Washington, DC. I mentioned it was absolutely possible, but the timing didn’t permit me to take it further. (I did mention that those in the Beltway tend to have a very myopic view of life and see through a very narrow set of lenses.) But I would have loved to open the discussion to the wisdom available to Spirit-taught, Spirit-inspired, prophetic priests of God.

In addition to God’s Word, every morning I read an array of news sources that give me a wide view of local, national and world events. I read a long list of commentators on both sides of the social, political and religious fences. I study the latest intelligence web sites. In addition, throughout the week I’m also reading various books on many different subjects. Why? Let me assure you it’s not to “get smart” (the world is full of really smart people): I’m constantly asking the Holy Spirit for His insights. I want to know what God is thinking and I want to know His heart. The bottom line is that I need His discernment to see things the way He sees them, not the way the world sees and interprets them. I do this for my own edification, of course, but also to have an answer for anyone that seeks my opinion and insight. I want to respond prophetically, not just from my own mind.

We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment: "For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ. - 1 Corinthians 2:12-16

This is how we become spiritually discerning priests of God. As a nation (and sadly, as Christians) we’ve been told what and how to think but spiritual people must refuse to go that direction; our opinions are to be formed in and by the Spirit of God. Subsequently, they will almost always be in direct opposition to the opinions of the world. Because of this you will have to die some new deaths.

It’s aggravating to share spiritually discerned insights with those who rely solely on their own intelligence or rely on others to form their opinions. This is where we must learn to share the truth in love and, at the same time, learn not to throw pearls before swine. This may sound judgmental but it’s not. It takes discernment to know not only what to say but when to say it. Not everyone is ready to hear you.

The world desperately needs to hear from God and the church is the chosen instrument to bring His Good News and wisdom to their ears. They don’t need the opinions of men; they need insight directly from God. They need the truth and to know The Truth.

Never be ashamed of the Gospel and never cease to learn as much as you can about just about everything. Abraham Lincoln studied everything he could possibly study; he felt he was derelict in God’s sight if he didn’t. Here are some of his insights:

“I will study and get ready, and perhaps my chance will come.”

“The way for a young man to rise is to improve himself in every way he can, never suspecting that anybody wishes to hinder him.”

“My great concern is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with your failure.”

“I do not think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday.”

“Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right.”

“I can see how it might be possible for a man to look down upon the earth and be an atheist, but I cannot conceive how he could look up into the heavens and say there is no God.”

You stand in good company when you strive to learn everything you can about God and His creation. Consider that by constantly learning by the Spirit of God you fulfill the commandment to love your God and you love your fellow man by strengthening, encouraging and comforting him.

It has been demonstrated that when any particular wrong needs to be corrected about one-third of the people are willing, one-third aren't and one-third don't care. Do the math and 66% of the people aren't going to be helpful in making any meaningful change.

That leaves it up to the other 33% to get the job done. This poses a bit of a problem, though, when a nation believes in democracy, something the Founding Fathers abhored. If the prevailing thought is that you need a majority to get anything done, or that because you have a majority you must be right, then there's potentially no hope.

Significant changes come about when a handful of people have the foresight and courage to buckle down, hold to their principles, and get them done. Even so... this still doesn't mean the right thing was done (the last election proves that). It just means that the 33%'ers got them done.

Right now we are in a war against The Truth. Not truth, but The Truth. You can see the evidence of it all around you. The strategy has been well thought out and is being systematically carried out. It's been going on since the beginning of time and appears to be coming to a head. It's the war between the "truth" and The Truth.

The world has its truth and then there is The Truth. The world's truth seems to be winning right now but think about it for a minute... based on the world's truth what has the world done right? Show me something that is a shining example of the world's truth triumphing over The Truth. You can't.

The Truth is impossible to defeat because it's The Truth. It doesn't matter whether you have a minority or a majority that believes it; it is The Truth and it will always be The Truth; it will never change. It can't change because The Truth is God Himself and He never changes.

This is where I have to change the wording and make it personal. Jesus Christ is The Truth and He cannot fail; the more accurate truth is that He has already won. It doesn't matter if only one person believes Him; that person "wins". On the day when we all stand before The Truth it matters not that six or seven billion stood together for the world's truth and only one stood for The Truth. One will enter into and six or seven billion will not.

If you go with the herd you will receive the herd's reward. If you go with The Truth you will receive His reward.

Jesus Christ wondered aloud about the time of His return. He asked, "Will I find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8) Apparently He was concerned that even though His efforts were perfect and eternal, mankind still had the choice to believe in Him or not and He wondered if they would.

Never forget: it isn't so much that The Truth will win; He has already won. Those who believe in Him have already overcome the world. Christians need to fix their eyes on the One who has already won the battle and not get bogged down on trying to win it. We are already more than conquerors and we need to fight as victors, not those seeking victory.

Fight on as victors, not victims. Fight on as those who have already won, not those who are trying to win. Fight on as those whose citizenship and weapons are from another world, not as those from this world.

Fight on, in His name, in His authority, and declare to the heavenly realms that Jesus Christ is alive! You'll be amazed what happens when you declare what is, not what was or what will be.

"Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and very courageous... Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." - Joshua 1:6-9

Consider this dictionary definition of courage:

Courage: the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery.

See anything wrong with it? I learned long ago that courage is only exercised in the presence of fear. Here’s my definition:

Courage: the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, fear, etc., and still act; bravery.

Do you see the difference? Courage isn’t acting without fear... it’s acting in spite of fear. This little distinction is the key to being a courageous person.

If you are pressing into what God has for you fear doesn’t go away... it’s ever present, almost a companion. Even so, you do what you know you have to do. You do your job... you face criticism... you climb that mountain... you stand before the judge... you confront your boss... you have that baby... you sign up for college... you prophecy in church... you take up your cross... you [fill in the blank].

Courage isn’t just being bold; courage must be exercised with wisdom. Being bold (as the penquin above apparently is) isn’t necessarily the best course of action. Courage must be combined with common sense, skill, training, and being quick on your feet, so to speak: courage demands resourcefulness. Being courageous forces you to dig deep and find things within yourself you never knew were there.

I learned a lot about conquering fear by climbing mountains. Most people think that climbing a mountain is 90% physical and 10% mental. In reality it’s the other way around. You quickly learn that a ten foot fall will kill you just as dead as a one thousand foot fall. (Isn’t that encouraging?) That little piece of logic helped me conquer my fear of heights.

Look at this list of fears. This list represents some of the reasons people don’t accomplish their goals:

Fear of:

• failure
• embarrassment
• rejection
• ridicule
• fear (yes, there is a fear of fear)
• success (yes, there is a fear of success)

Everyone faces their fears: some face their fears and quit and some face their fears and act in spite of them. Successful people courageously do things they’re afraid to do.

Christian, never forget these words. Make them your own:

“Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

Today we’re told we become who we read; Jesus said we become who we listen to.

In Jesus’ day books didn’t exist as we have them today. Learning was done by listening and memorizing what was heard. Today, we have virtually unlimited ways to receive information, including the newest version of the Kindle (which I would graciously receive if offered).

Most people seem to be on information overload; they’re overwhelmed and have decided to choose an “information lite” lifestyle. Even though it’s understandable, the results are potentially devastating. The person may think they’re wise but in reality they might be like the fool at the city gate; they have nothing of real substance to say. It all depends on who they’ve chosen to listen to, who they’re memorizing, and what world view they’re developing from it all.

Listen to the wisdom of Isaiah:

To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn. - Isaiah 8:20

Most young people get their news from the monologues of Leno, Letterman and the ramblings of Jon Stewart. A recent large survey of Christian youth was revealing ( scary, actually). Even though the youth were professed Christians they couldn’t explain anything about their faith in a cogent manner.

The media, academia and the administration have no trouble telling us who is wise and who’s a fool. Doubt them (or challenge them) and you’re thrown to the dung heap. For example:

• Certain respected cable news programs recently used vulgar, profane terms to denigrate citizens exercising their first amendment rights.
• Homeschoolers are treated with contempt, even classified as having psychological problems,as they selflessly teach their own children, who consistently score higher than the students of the state.
• The present administration is strident in its assessment of us common folk, basically telling us that if we don’t look and act like them we’re potential terrorists.
• The recent tea parties were said to be “unhealthy” by the president’s spokesman.
• Continued attempts to reveal the constitutionally mandated truth about the president’s birth are cast aside as “garbage”, and that’s a direct quote from his people.

Strangely, within the church there’s prejudice against gaining wisdom from anyone other than those anointed by Christian media or Christian “higher learning”. Challenge the teachings of any of them and you’re looked upon as misguided, unspiritual, even stupid. Say anything (and I mean anything) about the teachings of Rick Warren or Joel Osteen and you’re looked upon as a pariah. When I spoke up about Todd Bentley (before his ministry fell apart) I was told I was legalistic. (Todd recently divorced his wife, married a staff member, and is forming another ministry.)

Even though I like Sean Hannity I warned people that he was promoting Ekhart Tolle, one of Oprah’s recent anointed ones, and a couple of people left our church. Beth Moore promotes Richard Foster and Christians go, “Who?”.

And, OMg, Mylie Cyrus (aka Hannah Montana) instructs the courageous Miss California that gays deserve to be happy.

As a Christian your apostle is Jesus Christ and your mentor is the Holy Spirit. It takes courage to listen to, follow, and obey the Lord Jesus Christ. You are to have no other gods.

Jesus said:

The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. - John 6:63

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. - John 10:27

His Father said:

"This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!" - John 9:7

We live in dangerous times, both to soul and property, and there’s two ways to deal with them: you can listen to the world or you can listen to God. You can be educated by the Spirit or trust what the world is telling you. You can listen to or read the latest Christian mega-author or you can study the Scriptures.

May I recommend you read the Bible from cover to cover at least once before you read anyone else? How will you discern truth from lies if you don’t read and study the Scriptures? How will you know your conclusions are trustworthy if they’re not tested?

Are you your own disciple? The world knows that a person who represents himself in court is a fool and a doctor who tries to heal himself does so at his peril. A general who goes to war without good advisors is doomed to defeat. The apostle Paul said that even if his own conscience was clear that didn’t make him innocent.

Do you see the pattern here? Even the world knows that every one of us needs counsel. You don’t need people telling you what to do, you need trusted, godly advisors who will speak the truth into your life and let you make up our own mind. After all, you are the only one responsible for your actions.

It is up to you to apply yourself to the study of the Scriptures and seek godly counsel for help. The Holy Spirit should be your constant Companion and only godly people who love you enough to tell you the truth should be your sounding boards.

I appeal to you with everything in me: study the Word of God, apply what you learn, listen to the godly people who love you and stick as close as ever to Jesus Christ.

Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. - Revelation 22:12-14

* * * * * * *

Here's what I'm reading:

There's no magic answer to spending time with God; you either make time or you don't. Lately, though, this thing we call "time with Him" has been hard to find. I've been buried in a project and I can feel the difference; it's just like when my wife and I are busy and don't see each other much. It's just different.

I know He understands, and He really does. I don't "shut Him out"; it's just not the normal ongoing conversation we have every day. Bottom line: when things get this focused I just "miss" Him.

I don't worry about His love for me; that is forever embedded in my soul. I don't worry about the devil and I don't worry about, well, I don't worry about much of anything. Even though I know He's with me and He'll never leave me I still "miss" him.

We all go through times like this. Some people think the way to "solve" this is to spend more time in the Word or time in prayer or time in this or that. Fact is, missing Him is OK and this season shall pass. Seasons of longing are good for relationships. It's a powerful reminder of the importance of the relationship. (If you didn't care it's obviously not much of a relationship!)

The week before a trip overseas I'm so busy getting ready I miss my wife even before I get on the plane. When I land at my destination I am so busy I don't have much time to think about anything but the task at hand, but I still miss her. By the time I'm on my flight home I'm so exhausted I don't think about anything and when I get home it takes me a week to get back to normal. She is so patient with me it's amazing, but if we just "get in the zone" we can go too long being busy and our relationship get's stale. No matter what we're doing for God and other people we have to focus on our relationship or "we" get lost along the way.

Whether it's God or my wife or my kids or my friends, I go through times when I really miss them. I've learned that it's OK and I treasure the thoughts I have for them during these times. I fight the sense that I should "do something about it" and just prayerfully go about my life. But, there are times when the grass looks greener "over there". Fact is, I've been over there. No matter where you are you just have to stay focused on what's truly important and realize that real love isn't destroyed by having a lot on your plate. We're here a short time and there's much work to get done. But you do have to water things to keep them alive.

We have a plant in our sun room that we've "killed" so many times by not watering it's embarassing. It's broad leaves just lay limp and we wonder if it's even worth watering any more. But, we water it and within a few hours those same leaves are standing up strong again. It's pretty amazing. So is my relationship with God and my wife and my kids. I've never experienced anything on earth like it.

And that's why I treasure them all and that's why I miss them when I get busy. Where's that watering can...

Politics is the business of making public policy. People make policies, not nameless or faceless 'governments'. Before a policy becomes policy it is proposed by a fellow human being as a certain course of action, aimed at you and me. If this course of action is adopted it becomes public policy and we are bound by it. Not all courses of action are beneficial. Many policies threaten our personal freedoms and may be in direct confrontation to God Himself.

Almighty God is the Governor over all authority the Giver of all freedom. If anyone proposes a course of action that threatens my God-given freedom then it's my responsibility to say, and do, something about it. To do nothing gives assent to those who desire to rule over me and take away my freedom.

As a person I have been endowed by God with certain unalienable rights, not because I'm an American, but because I'm a human being. A brief reminder:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

God has gifted people with unalienable rights, rights that are non-transferable or capable of being repudiated by anyone. Anyone, or any government, that threatens these rights must be threatened. If we don't stand against such threats we face wholesale removal of freedoms that were purchased with the blood of our forefathers and, even more serious, the freedom purchased with the blood of Jesus Christ.

It is no revelation that as a nation we have been under the bondage of debt for decades. The Bible clearly teaches that the debtor is enslaved to the lender. This debt has been levied upon us by our elected representatives and we've empowered them to do so. We cannot blame them; we elected them. When it becomes apparent, however, that our representatives no longer listen to us, let alone speak for us, and purposefully levy burdens upon us that enslave us, then the governed must rise up and and encourage them to reform their behavior or remove them from office. If we don't we have no excuse.

The governed in America have been systematically uninformed about the reasons our founders left their homeland, braved unimaginable difficulties, ridicule and abuse, and fought and died for fundamental principles greater than their own lives. Of all people, Christians should understand the cost of freedom. Our ultimate freedom has been purchased by Jesus Christ, with His own blood. Even so, it still remains that basic human freedom has been bestowed on all living souls who breath God's air and enjoy His provision whether they know Jesus Christ or not. Our forefathers fought, bled and died to preserve these freedoms for those who would live long after they themselves had perished.

The church of Jesus Christ in America has been purposefully muted by the elected. We, the prophetic mouthpiece of God, have allowed the fear of our fellow man to mute us rather than allow the fear of the Lord to inspire us. A leaven has entered the body of Christ that has convinced us to keep quiet, that discussing politics is something God would disapprove of, and that we should be silent like lambs to the slaughter. To do so mocks the courage displayed by those who died to preserve our freedoms and is in direct disobedience to God.

Any cursory reading of our founding fathers will dismiss any notion that they designed our laws and society to be devoid of the presence of God or His influence. Of course, the very opposite is true. As messengers of the Lord God Almighty it is our sacred duty to proclaim the freedoms endowed upon all men and sealed with the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ for those who believe.

As Christians we are most certainly citizens of heaven before we are citizens of our nations. As such we are to proclaim eternal freedoms and hold to eternal principles. When earthly policies attempt to undermine eternal principles we are to resist those policies and fight to establish righteous policy. To do any other thing is to abdicate our God-given responsibility to love our fellow man.

God has poured out His Spirit upon all flesh and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is both freedom and the potential for freedom. God's very nature is freedom and He desires all souls to be free, both in their person and their potential. Our very existence requires that we fight for freedom, not just for ourselves, but for one another. Beyond that, it is our duty to encourage others to receive the eternal freedom purchased for them with the blood of Jesus Christ. To do any other thing would be the zenith of self-indulgence.

You might even call it bad policy.

"For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, and from his mouth men should seek instruction because he is the messenger of the LORD Almighty." - Malachi 2:7

If you are a Christian then you are a priest of God. As a priest of God you were created to serve in his presence. In his presence he will speak to you. We are to repeat exactly what he says; no more, no less.

Is it hard to understand his instructions? No. Is it a big responsibility? Yes. Do we have a choice? Yes. What are the consequences of not doing it? Devastating.

It is no secret that the world doesn't want to hear what God has to say but it is our duty, our service, our act of worship towards God and love for our fellow man that we share what God shares with us. We are the messengers of the Lord Almighty, we are the light of the world and we are the ones God has chosen to share his truth with. Be humble enough to receive this and be bold enough to believe this.

In and of ourselves we are no different than anyone else and we are not smarter than anyone else. When we become born again, however, we become new creatures in Christ and his Spirit dwells within us. His Spirit speaks to us and we are to share what he says with those who are willing to listen (and sometimes even when they aren't). We are created to be a prophetic people and we need to carry out our duties with courage. Jesus warned us that the world hated him and they will hate us as well, but he never wavered in obeying his Father and neither should we.

Why is it so important to speak what the Spirit speaks? God loves the people of the world and ultimately wants them to be with him, in heaven, for all eternity. At the same time he wants to bless their lives on earth. He has made it abundantly clear that all men have sinned against him and that there is a distinct penalty for sin: death. But that isn't all, along with death is the sentence of eternal damnation. He personally sent Jesus Christ into this world to proclaim the truth, die for our sins, and then rise again to sit at the right hand of his Father in heaven so that we wouldn't have to suffer eternal separation from him. He commanded us to go and preach this good news to every breathing soul that lives on the earth.

The body of Christ is the prophetic voice of God in the earth. We are the prophetic conscience of our nation. If we don't speak, other voices will not magically be silent. Someone will speak and we will be held accountable if we do not stand up and speak the truth as well. That's one of the main reasons God leaves us here after we are born again: he loves this world and desires that his voice be heard in every nation, tongue, tribe and people.

We are the priests of the most high God and he speaks to us. We must be courageous and share his truth in love to a sick and dying world, especially those who seek us out. We are the messengers of the Lord God Almighty. Let us not wither in our duties. Rather, let us get a rod up our backs, stand strong and deliver the message of God's love, compassion, forgiveness and mercy with the same compassion that God has shown us. Let us share with others what we ourselves have received. Let us love others in the same way that God has loved us.

God never hesitates to tell us the truth when we ask him for wisdom, therefore, when others ask us for wisdom let us never hesitate to share what God has shared with us. Let us always go forth in his name, knowing he is with us, that he will never leave us or forsake us, and that the Word of God never returns void. Let us go forth with a compassionate and wise heart, loving the world the way God loves the world. Let us never let concern for our own lives hinder our concern for the lives of others. Our eternity is already assured; let us lead others into that same blessed assurance.