The Golden Gate

 

I read Ezekiel 43 this morning. Ezekiel writes of a vision he had regarding the east gate of Jerusalem. It is a prophecy about the God of Israel, or the Messiah returning at the end times. 

"Afterward, he brought me to the gate, the gate facing east. And behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the east; and the sound of his coming was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shone with his glory."

This is the gate used by Jesus to enter the city on Palm Sunday. It angered the theologians of the day as Jesus was enacting the future procession of the Messiah through the east gate at the end of days. The symbolism was not lost on the people or the rulers of Jerusalem, and they were enraged by the audacity of the act.

The prophet Ezekiel was born in Judea approximately 622 BC. He died in Babylon (after the destruction of the temple and the sacking of Judea by the Babylonians) in 570 BC.

Knowing the prophecy of the returning Messiah, the Muslims sealed up the east gate of Jerusalem in 810 AD. In 1102 AD, the Crusaders reopened the east gate, but it was closed again in 1541 after the Muslims reconquered the city in 1187. It has remained closed until the present day with many Muslims buried in a cemetery before the gate. This cemetery was imposed in a belief that any Messiah would never cross over unhallowed ground containing dead bodies.

Centuries before, Ezekiel had his prophetic vision of this closed gate and cemetery. "While the man was standing beside me, I heard one speaking to me out of the temple; and he said to me; 

'Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the people of Israel forever. And the house of Israel shall no more defile my holy name, neither they nor their kings, by their harlotry, and by the dead bodies of their kings, by setting their threshold by my threshold and their doorpost besides my doorposts with only a wall between me and them. They have defiled my holy name by their abominations which they have committed, so I have consumed them in my anger. Now, let them put away their idolatry, and the dead bodies of their kings far from me, and I will dwell in their midst forever.'"

When the Messiah comes - he comes for the whole earth with mercy or judgement based on our decision to believe.

PROVERBS FOR TODAY

 Gossip - Gossip only to God about your pain.

PROVERBS FOR TODAY

 Perfection: No person can achieve perfection. Rather, we receive perfection in God's love.

 

Rebuilding The Temple

We have been in quarantine for a year now.

In the beginning I made long overdue repairs to my home, I cleaned out closets and drawers, and I redecorated some rooms. I even cleared out many of my books – the hardest job of all. Finally, summer was upon us and I worked in my garden, went for long walks, met friends for outdoor dining and had backyard visits with my extended family.

After gerrymandering the holidays, the winter was upon us once again. It snowed and it snowed and snowed again. I watched television, ate ice cream and chocolate. I cooked comfort foods eating heartily.

I gained nine pounds, my hair needs a serious hair cut and my nails haven’t seen a salon since December 2019. My bras sit in a drawer wondering where I went and I no longer fit into my jeans.

Today I sat with God and complained. I complained about all of the above asking his help. When I opened the Bible – it was to Ezra 6 – Rebuilding the Temple. King Darius issued a degree to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem – you know the one that was destroyed by the Babylonians when they sacked Israel. But he didn’t want the Babylonians taking part. Only the exiled Israelites were allowed to rebuild.

King Darius decreed that his treasuries would pay the costs of rebuilding and provide all the sacrificial animals if the returning Israelites would pray for his kingdom.

So, at this one-year mark of exile, I will be rebuilding my temple with better food choices, exercise and less television. I will shower, dress and yes-wear make-up every day again. I may even become reacquainted with my bras. And, I will ask the Lord to help me every step of the way. May he bless me indeed.

Thy Will Be Done

Father – I no longer know what to pray. When we first began this relationship forty plus years ago, you promised me that whatever I asked, you would give.  Even then I realized my problems with trust and your desire to have me mature to trusting you no matter what. It’s called faith.

Lately, I have given up praying for what I want. I feel my prayers are vacuous and powerless. Am I that devoid of Spirit these days, or are you bringing me into a new dimension of maturity and wisdom?

You prayed – “Thy will be done” – and it’s that phrase that has been rattling around in my brain for the past few weeks. But you always directed me to pray with power and conviction when “Thy will be done” is a prayer of surrender – a true prayer of faith and trust.

I don’t know what your will is for my life. It’s the not knowing and praying for it anyway that is the true test of my faith and trust in you. Do I have the courage? Does your will fit my agenda, the world’s agenda or heaven’s agenda?  Is your will for the saving of the unsaved, healing the sick, warning the world, teaching the foolish, leading the wise or providing for the poor? I know it’s all these things and my heart has been set on these as well.

So, I pray Lord – Thy Will Be Done. Amen.

Joel 3

WHITE AS SNOW

 

It snowed last night – not much – just enough to cover our bleak January in white. White as snow we sing with Elvina Hall’s song, Jesus Paid It All. His blood covers us in white as His mercy covers our guilt, His kindness covers our pain, His wisdom covers our folly, and His peace covers our fear.

I’ll never be perfect under my own thoughts, feelings or actions, but when I claim what Jesus paid – I am made as white as snow - here on earth until I Spring from this world to His world and live in His flowering perfection.

ENDING NOVEMBER

Included but remote – at arm’s length, my comfort zone.

Don’t we all take comfort in arm’s length?

Approached – but not touched

locked in our muffed prisons

where we believe we are safe from

prickles and scars. 

We breathe shallow, silently so no one knows

our hiding places. And eye contact

is a whimper of light which escapes

and is recaptured to be used again. 

We are wound tight in movement – sensory intercourse

with flat faces and choreographed voices.

These are our reality – characters

who manufacture life

so we can ignore our own.

I DON’T WANT FREEDOM/I WANT INDEPENDENCE

My greatest moments of freedom came as a child on a warm summer night playing with my brother and sister, Two Eyes! Two Eyes! We invented the game with such fluid rules, I still can’t remember them. It was total abandon, our freedom, until our mother called us into the house for our baths. Then our freedom ended.

I was free as a teenager riding up and down Fourth Street with my friends, radio blasting and lobbying cat calls to the guys in the cars next to us. That abandon ended at midnight, sharp, or my father would ground me for a week. Freedom ended.

Though I had freedom during these times, I had no independence.  As a child I couldn’t go to the store on my own.  I couldn’t purchase anything, and I couldn’t drive to my grandmother’s house for a visit.

As a teen my independence grew.  I had a part-time job at Kroger’s which allowed purchasing power, but my father refused my learner’s permit. I couldn’t drive to my job, and permission was still required to go out with my friends.

But nothing illustrated the difference between freedom and independence until many years later. A single mother, I lived in a low-rent apartment complex with my infant son. When we first moved there most of the occupants were young families with their first child, but the landlord began accepting Section 8 applicants and things began to change.  I would come home from work with a brief case over one shoulder, a diaper bag over the other and my son on my hip.  I realized all thirty-two apartments were now occupied by single mothers. Yet, I was different; I worked for my living.

I was friendly with the other mothers, but I envied their freedom. When I came home their children were splashing in kiddy pools. The mothers sat on lawn chairs kibitzing while their dinner smoked on hibachis. Night after night, I watched their freedom from my second floor window while cooking dinner, washing dishes, bathing my son and getting ready for the next day of work and day care. I began to think that I was the fool.  I could quit work and be a stay at home mom. I could be free, but I soon realized – I would not be independent.  To accept their lifestyle, I would need to give up my car, my retirement account, my benefits package and my choices on where I live.  I choose independence and vowed that I would get out of that apartment complex some day.  I planned how to get out, and I did.

Our founding fathers did not send a Declaration of Freedom to King George. They weren’t asking George for a gift of freedom that may one day be taken away. They wanted Independence.  They desired the independence to stand or fall, succeed or fail, to make their own decisions, to make their own way. They knew what we forgot. Freedom can be given to you, but the payment for that gift may be a slice of your independence. Independence must be earned, step by step. If you want independence stand up; earn it!

PEACE, RALLIES

The crowds had already assembled behind the barricades, and though I couldn’t hear their shouting, I saw their signs moving up and down, up and down like target ducks in a shooting arcade.  The flashing red and blue lights of the police cars added to the carnival atmosphere. Breathe, just breathe – it’ll be OK.

I turned with a reassuring smile to my guest speakers sitting on the stage behind me.  They looked worried; with reason.  The permit office had warned us – “If there’s any trouble your event will be dispersed by the police.”  My mouth was dry.  As I gulped water from a bottle, I could see the unrest moving over the barricades into my audience.  I decided to begin.

I began with my welcoming remarks, and the chanting behind the barricades became louder. Police exited their cars standing ready for trouble.  Something small was lobbied over the barricades.  I waited, but no reaction so I continued.  I introduced my first guest, and the angry bursts increased at the boundary.  It spread forward evidenced by the back of heads instead of faces.  No! My people are engaging the protesters. “People, people!” my words just became part of the cacophony.  Turbulence increased from the fence moving into the audience as a wave coming onto shore. I’ve lost control – it looks like Dante’s inferno – confusion, confusion.

Except, one pair of eyes were still focused on me. She stood there, an island of balm in a sea of contortion, watching me. I shrugged my shoulders in defeat.  She shook her head as a mother disappointed with an unruly child.  Then, she smiled. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her though the disturbance continued to swirl around her.  She lifted her arms, brought her palms together, and I understood her meaning. Pray!  As I turned to my guests to encourage their prayers, I heard a vibrant melody lift from the din behind me, “Open the eyes of my heart, Lord. Open the eyes of my heart.” Before I could turn back another voice joined the song, “I want to see you, I want to see you.” 

Leading my guest speakers in earnest prayer for a peaceful gathering, I watched as she continued through the crowd enjoining others, “To see you high and lifted up, shining in the light of your glory.” People began clapping the cadence and as the song spread smiles replaced grimaces and the angry banter decreased.

I watched as the crowd engulfed her, yet her wake was evidenced by the calm she left behind.  My audience continued, “Hold out your power and love as we sing Holy, Holy, Holy.” Then, the refrain “Holy, Holy, Holy”, over and over as the crowd swayed from side to side like lapping water on the hull of a boat.  The discourse at the barricade stopped, and people at the boundary left dragging their signs behind them. The police retired to their cars.

“Jason, go find that woman and ask her to join us up here.”  Minutes later, Jason returned with a handwritten note. “Spiritual Warfare - God doesn’t need us to praise him.  He already knows who he is.  We need to praise Him so we know who we are – Deborah.”

History Repeats

History Repeats

 As an effort “to temper public concern” regarding the NSA overreach, our President established a five member ‘Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board’.  They held their first meeting on June 21 2013 behind closed doors. The discussion centered on ways to enlighten the American people on the need of our government to violate our privacy and civil liberties.

 

On 10/27/1775, King George had a similar meeting with his Parliament.  He discussed the Colonists’ discontent and how to quell what may be a rising rebellion. The American’s complaints included: confiscation of private property, deprivation of a trial by jury, judges dependent on the will of the King, the covert transporting of arms and armies, jurisdiction of foreign laws on Americans, imposing taxes without the peoples’ consent, mandatory quartering of troops to effect spying on the residents in their own homes, enlarging an arbitrary government, the erection of unelected offices and officers to harass the people, restrictions on trade and business and the government’s silencing of dissent and assembly.

 

On 7/4/1776 a group of leaders: preachers, doctors, lawyers, merchants and educators, declared independence from an overreaching government.  They pledged their lives, reputations and fortunes in exchange for freedom from a government that dictated their lives.  They did this for their children and their children’s children. They determined that it was self-evident that all men are created equal.  They knew that we are endowed by our Creator with unalienable rights – Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. They envisioned a government “of the People, by the People, and for the People”.  Two hundred and thirty eight years later – have we lost the vision?

INTERCESSION - THE GREATEST CHARITY

Phoenician Goddess, Europa

in·ter·ces·sion  (ntr-sshn) n. 1. Entreaty in favor of another, especially a prayer or petition to God in behalf of another. 2. Mediation in a dispute.

People call or text me to pray for them, even those who are not believers.  They do this because they know I will. 

It started years ago when God instructed me to pray for two people who had hit rock bottom.  I had heard their complaints, and my heart ached for them as they were hurting so much.  I asked God what could I do.  He said pray for their salvation.  I did.  I prayed for these two for more than a year.

Neither of these people know that I prayed for them and they never will, but I am excited that when this world has passed away we may meet and know how God had intervened in their lives. Slowly, their hearts changed and eventually their lives changed too. God had answered that prayer, and through those two people, I learned the power and charity of intercession.

Now in the morning with my prayer journal, I ask God - "Who or what shall I pray for today?"  He always has a list.  I have prayed for the salvation and peace of the Middle East.  I have prayed for the corruption of Washington to be exposed. I have prayed for others to accept salvation, and I have prayed for healings.  God has always answered these prayers because I am praying GOD'S HEART, not my heart.

Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; and he said to Him, "All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me." Then Jesus said to him, "Go, Satan! For it is written, 'You Shall Worship The Lord Your GOD, And Serve Him Only.'' Matthew 4:8-10

We see by these verses who is really in charge of the kingdoms of the earth. That has not changed and will not change until Jesus comes again, but what God did with the death and resurrection of  Jesus is allow those who believe to bring God's Holy Spirit into the world.  Intercession provides a way for God to work in the lives of the unbeliever whose prayer may not be heard.  It is the highest form of CHARITY.

Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. "For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst." Matthew 18:19-20

When you ask God who or what to pray - you can be sure there is at least one more person in this world that is praying in unison with you.

LOSING EVERYTHING

God said to Satan, "Consider my servant, Job."  Those four words marked Job for catastrophic loss.  Why would God, who promises to hide us in the palm of his hand, point out a good and faithful servant to Satan?  God was not boasting, and unlike some of Job's friends, I don't believe that God meant to punish him.  So why would God 'mark' Job by pointing him out to an enemy who rules the place (the world) Job inhabits?  Is it betrayal?

These were the questions I had about Job, that is, until the past few weeks.  You see, I have been incrementally losing everything.  Two years ago my mother passed away from a head injury, but I was so happy to still have my father. Weeks later he died from a heart attack, but I still had my brothers and sisters.  I was the co-executor on their sizable estate and over the next year, I lost many of my brothers and sisters to disputes and control.  Depressed and stressed, I confided to my Christian friends.  Eventually they avoided me.  I stopped writing and my writers' group stopped including me.  I thought, OK, I still have my children, but political differences between my daughter and I separated us- for now.

Yes, I do believe the loss is 'for now'.  I do have enough faith in God to know he will restore the things that are my heart's desire.  But, I asked myself, "Why is God doing or allowing this?" 

I have observed that God's acts are like a finely cut diamond.  He never uses a good work to prosper just one person, his works are so multi-faceted, we may never know whom or how many people have been served by our answered prayer.  Still, a spiritual child in many ways, I wanted to know why he was doing this to ME.

I began an inventory.  Yes, I am not a perfect servant - at times I am not even a good servant.  Still I am God's child by my own decision to believe and accept his plan of salvation, and as his child I inherit a level of rights as he outlined in his Word.  One of those rights is to be sheltered from the enemy and another is to expect not to be punished - disciplined yes - but not punished.

"So, Lord - what are you doing to me?  I want to know!"  The answer came, and came and came again.  I hate criticism - well my son said it with a little more finesse - I am too sensitive.  Of course I countered, "You should be glad I am so sensitive because that is where my love lies."; a spurious argument. Being sensitive was about me; my ego.  Love is about the other person, and then I remembered my prayer journal from last year.  "Please God make me a loving person."  My sensitivity was limiting me for the next level God wanted me to take.

"I submit, Lord.  Do your wonderful thing with me - change me to your Will - not mine.  I know you will restore all that has been lost when I am ready to receive any criticism from those I love. In Jesus' name."

Jerusalem

A BOX OF MEMORIES



My parents passed from our family separated by just a few weeks.  They were the bookends to eight children – the strength that held us together.  The loss was sudden, unexpected and painful. Though I was well past middle age, I felt like an acrobat without a safety net – an orphan, and I drifted through the funeral like a ground mist that’s forgotten once the sun shines again.

My father had appointed my youngest brother and I as co-executors, and I found no personal financial or legal experience can prepare you for dealing with some else’s estate.  Doubts and questions plagued me even with my father’s detailed Last Will and Testament.  One area not addressed specifically was the household contents.  With room for eight children, my parents’ home was a sprawling three floors filled to the brim with sixty years of marital accumulation.  The Will placed a limit of sixty days for the beneficiaries to outline a plan of dispersal or the household contents would be sold and the proceeds divided equally.

So, my siblings and I held a meeting, and we did come to an amicable consensus.  Cars, jewelry, furniture and objects d’art left my parents home first.  My brothers and sisters returned the next weekend for selections from my father’s expansive library of books, music and movies.  There was even interest in some of my mother’s clothing.  Yet, when everyone had exhausted their choices, every room was still filled with stuff.  An estate sale and a large dumpster helped, and soon the contents of the house dwindled.  When we were done the house was empty save one bedroom of memorabilia that no one wanted.  Yet, discarding the items seemed like an act of disloyalty. 

Alone, I packed those last items in boxes.  My father’s hunting trophies, plaques and commendations from years of employment, framed thank you letters from clubs and charitable organizations were all packed in boxes that overflowed with my father’s life.  There was nothing of my mother here in this room.

Her life had been the recipe box that I had claimed as my own, the turkey platter claimed by sister #4 and the casserole dish claimed by sister #7.  Still, I was sad there was nothing of my mother’s life in that last room; no trophy, not one citation.

When I arrived home, I carried the boxes to the basement for storage, pending a future decision on their fate.  A curious wooden box caught my eye.  The word Memories was carved across the top.  I set the box on my dresser where it remained silent for the next few months.  I dusted it when I cleaned, dressed around it before going to work and slept in the same room with it each night. My curiosity never overcame my grief, so the box remained closed.

Months later, it was done.  My parents’ house was sold to a young couple, and I pictured their children rolling down the hill in the backyard or having Christmas dinner in the dining room as we had done.  Life does go on.  The probate taxes were paid, the estate was closed and my grief was soon replaced by happy memories.

I opened the Memory box.  At first, I wished I hadn’t.  Inside were letters written by a plaintive seventeen year old girl to her boyfriend who was vacationing in Michigan.  Postmarked through August of 1949, she had written everyday to my father. It was strange reading my mother’s longing words.  Her immature passion filled each page, and it was difficult to reconcile my competent mother with this childish banter.  After reading, I replaced each letter in the Memories box and I wondered.  Her letters evidenced that my father had written to her, but his letters were not saved.  Yet, he had saved every one of her letters in a special box marked, Memories, as a keepsake.  Then I thought, this was my mother’s trophy – sixty years of my father’s love and devotion saved in a box marked – Memories.

 

 

 

History Repeats

 As an effort “to temper public concern” regarding the NSA overreach, our President established a five member ‘Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board’.  They held their first meeting on June 21^st behind closed doors. The discussion centered on ways to enlighten the American people on the need of our government to violate our privacy and civil liberties.

 

On 10/27/1775, King George had a similar meeting with his Parliament.  He discussed the Colonists’ discontent and how to quell what may be a rising rebellion. The American’s complaints included: confiscation of private property, deprivation of a trial by jury, judges dependent on the will of the King, the covert transporting of arms and armies, jurisdiction of foreign laws on Americans, imposing taxes without the peoples’ consent, mandatory quartering of troops to effect spying on the residents in their own homes, enlarging an arbitrary government, the erection of unelected offices and officers to harass the people, restrictions on trade and business and the government’s silencing of dissent and assembly.

 

On 7/4/1776 a group of leaders: preachers, doctors, lawyers, merchants and educators, declared independence from an overreaching government.  They pledged their lives, reputations and fortunes in exchange for freedom from a government that dictated their lives.  They did this for their children and their children’s children. They determined that it was self-evident that all men are created equal.  They knew that we are endowed by our Creator with unalienable rights – Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. They envisioned a government “of the People, by the People, and for the People”.  Two hundred and thirty seven years later – have we lost the vision?

MAN'S WAY OR GOD'S WAY?

Established religions are man's pathway to God.  Catholicism, Protestantism, Buddhism and all the other religions of the world were all created by man in an effort to stand righteous before God.  Each of the world's religions require that man do something or accomplish something to prove his worthiness; attending mass, pilgrimages, taking sacraments, prescribed prayer times, self- sacrifice and even suicide may be required to stand righteous before God.

Christianity is not a religion.  Christianity teaches that man cannot make himself righteous, only God can make man righteous.  I can't remember my first sin, but I know that it exists by the myriad of sins that have followed.  God stated that the penalty for just one sin is death - permanent death.  Once I committed that first sin, I became corrupted - I could no longer participate in my own salvation.

God knew this and still wanted to give us everlasting life.  So, he came himself to earth - a sinless sacrifice - to die for all our sins.  All he asked is that you believe.  It is a choice to believe - not a feeling - not an emotion.  Make the choice to participate in everlasting life.

Wives Submit to Your Husbands

During the straw pole debates, an interviewer asked Presidential Canidate, Michele Bachmann a question. "You are an evangelical Christian and the Bible says - wives submit to your husbands. As President will you submit to your husband?"

I have longed struggled with this passage of the Bible even though I have remained single for many years. I could not - or perhaps would not - believe that God meant for women to obey their husbands in everything or submit as a dog does to its master. I always believed that women were the soul of the earth and therefore mighty in their own right.

The answer from Congresswoman Bachmann brought me to a new revelation on submission. "Perhaps sir, you do not understand the meaning of this Bible verse. Submit means respect. I respect my husband and he respects me. We have pledged our lives together during sickness and health, richer and poorer until death do us part."

Although her answer moved me to the right ball field, the home run required a little more contemplation. The verse following wives submitting to their husbands states, "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself."

God created men and women differently. He breathed life into Adam through his head and created Eve from the side (or heart) of Adam. Men want to be respected. It is the most important emotion for men. Women want to be loved - this is their most important emotion.

What God was saying in Ephesians 5 is - give to your husband what is most important to him and husbands - give to your wife what is most important to her.

Why Do Bad People Go Unpunished?

Last summer I had a large pine tree cut down on the side of my house. A small pest had done it's work on the tree and each year the damage became more apparent. Fearful that the tree may topple in a high wind, I paid an arborist for its death.

The stump was ground down leaving a circle of uncultivated dirt in my yard. The crime scene remained fallow for the remainder of the summer and through the winter, but when spring arrived, I eyed the blank space with envy.

My recent lay off kept my resources in check so instead of my usual trek to the local nursery, I opted for a bag of wild flower seeds from Lowe's selling for $5.99. I amended the soil and laid out the seed as prescribed on the back of the bag. I watered the planting faithfully and waited. Soon little green shoots appeared and as they grew so did my anticipation of beautiful flowers.

However, there was a problem with my plan. Along with my flower seeds, other seeds were germinating. Some of these seeds were well recognized weeds; others - well I wasn't sure. Since the bag of seed contained a variety of plants, I could not tell what was weed and what was flower. I let them grow together hoping for a resolution when the flowers finally bloomed.

My plan backfired. As the garden grew, the weeds intermingled densely with the flowers. When I tried to pull out the weeds, the flowers came out as well. Frustrated, I gave up, but I noticed something curious. When I viewed my flower garden close-up, the weeds were readily apparent. When I viewed the garden from my second-story, bedroom window, all I could see were the beautiful pinks, blues, purples and whites of the flowers. It occurred to me that this is the vantage point of God - high up - he sees only the flowers.

"Another parable he put before them say, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. So, when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the householder came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then has it weeds?' He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' The servants said to him, 'Then do you want us to go and gather them?' But he said, 'No; lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let them both grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, 'Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.' " Matthew 13:24-30

The Prince of America

In Daniel chapter 10, an angel of the Lord appears before Daniel because "..you set your mind to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard , and I have come because of your words." We see here that the Lord sent an angel, a messenger, to Daniel because he had set his mind on the Lord to understand.

The angel goes onto say "The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me for twenty-one days; but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, so I left him there with the prince of Persia..". This was spoken while Daniel along with the Hebrews were held in captivity in Persia or present day Iran.

From this passage we see that Satan, the prince of the world, sets his demons as guardians over countries and principalities to keep God's message or messengers from the people. This guardianship is not limited to other parts of the world - it is present even in America.

As seen in Matthew 4:10 Satan tempted Jesus by offering the kingdoms of the world to Jesus if he would bow down before Satan. Jesus did not refute Satan's claim to own the world, he told him only to begone. If Satan does indeed own the world, then we can be sure there is a Prince of America who stands guard to keep God's message or messengers from the people.

To keep the message and messengers flowing, we must be vigilant in what Daniel did. We must pray continuously and set our hearts to understand the Lord.

God Does Not Pass Out Paychecks

"Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name?' and I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.' " Matthew 7

The people described by Jesus above believe that they can earn God's love and favor. There are whole religions based on this premise, yet, Jesus says, "I never knew you." So what is the will of the Father?

"Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. this man came to Jesus by night and said to him, 'Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher from God; for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him.' Jesus answered, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God.' " John 3

The will of the Father is that we be born anew by choosing to accept the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus. Think of it God creates man along with a beautiful home where man can live safely. There is only one commandment - "do not eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil." One commandment and man does it anyway. The result should have been eternal death.

Instead our Creator - our King - dies for us. He loved us so much that He died for us and all we have to do is believe. And still, preachers and priests are instructing their parishioners on what they need to do to obtain God's favor! Where was the message lost? It was so simple - just believe and everything He has is yours. Our entrance into God's kingdom is not based on our works - but His works.

God does not pass out paychecks - he bestows gifts.

The Fig Tree Produces Fruit in May

Jeremiah's vision of the first dispersion: "..and the Lord showed me this vision - behold two baskets of figs placed before the temple of the Lord. One basket had very good figs, like first-ripe figs and the other basket had very bad figs, so bad they could not be eaten." Jeremiah 24

Further reference to the good figs and the bad figs. "On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs." Mark 11. Immediately after this Jesus drives the money changers from the temple.

It is estimated that the genus we know as the fig tree began over 5,000 years ago. It is accepted that Adam and Eve covered themselves with fig leaves after their sin. Fig trees require at least eight hours each day in sunlight which is why they are usually grown in warm, dry climates. Figs have a long juvenile development (four to five years) before maturing and producing fruit. A mature fig tree will produce its first harvest in May (Israel, May 1947).

"From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as it branch becomes tender and puts forth its leave, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away till all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." Matthew 24

So what is a generation? "For all our days pass away under thy wrath, our years come to an end like a sign. the years of our life are threescore and ten, or even by reason of strength fourscore; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone and we fly away." Psalms 90

This month - May, 2011 - Israel turned 63 years old. The people who saw Israel's birth will soon turn 70 or 80 (7-17 years). Then heaven and earth will pass away. Repent, believe and be saved.