Tough Week Ahead?

Facing what looks like a tough week ahead?  

Here's a choice: Make it a joyous one instead.

Jesus directs the steps of the righteous, so don't make haste.

Keep a big smile in your heart, and let it spill onto your face.

A blessed week to all whose eyes may fall upon these lines.  Receive it...by FAITH.

Disasters as the Answers?

C'mon people, does it really take an advanced degree in Economics to reach this conclusion?

"The rate of growth of income from capital is several times larger than the rate of economic growth, meaning a comparatively shrinking share going to income earned from wages, which rarely increase faster than overall economic activity. Inequality surges when population and the economy grow slowly....the professional and political assumption of the 1950s and 1960s, that inequality would stabilize and diminish on its own, proved to be an illusion. We are now back to a traditional pattern of returns on capital of 4 percent to 5 percent a year, and rates of economic growth of around 1.5 percent a year....One of the big lessons of the 20th century is that we don’t need 19th-century inequality to grow.” But that’s just where the capitalist world is heading again, he concludes." 

On Adam Smith (and Karl Marx), NY Times, 4/19/2014, reviewing the NY Times best seller, "Capital in the 21st Century", by French Economist, Thomas Piketty

I believe for such a reason, God established in Israel "The Year of Jubilee", a sabbath of sabbaths (the end of every 49 years), possibly as a pattern to the entire world for dealing with the natural consequences of sped-up wealth accumulation -- exponentially increased concentration of wealth in fewer and fewer hands, to the eventual detriment of the very foundations of society. In the absence of such, might cyclical 50-year disasters serve as a form of "re-set" to check unbridled wealth accumulation, typically motivated by raw greed?  Here's the background on The Year of Jubilee, in Wikipedia.

"The Jubilee (Hebrew yovel יובל) year is the year at the end of seven cycles of shmita (Sabbatical years), and according to Biblical regulations had a special impact on the ownership and management of land in [ancient] Israel; there is some debate whether it was the 49th year (the last year of seven sabbatical cycles, referred to as the Sabbath's Sabbath), or whether it was the following (50th) year. Jubilee deals largely with land, property, and property rights. According to Leviticus, slaves and prisoners would be freed, debts would be forgiven and the mercies of God would be particularly manifest. Leviticus 25:8-13 states:

"And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years. Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land. And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family. A jubilee shall that fiftieth year be unto you: ye shall not sow, neither reap that which groweth of itself in it, nor gather the grapes in it of thy vine undressed. For it is the jubilee; it shall be holy unto you: ye shall eat the increase thereof out of the field. In the year of this jubilee ye shall return every man unto his possession."

Want Life and Honor?

Want a good, long life and honor?  

These are the bonus dividends of seeking, pursuing and following after righteousness.

"He who follows righteousness and mercy 

finds life, righteousness, and honor." (Proverbs 21:21)

Ponder this: That which we label as 'life's primary raison d'être', God considers as mere  BY-PRODUCTS!  Let's realign our priorities.

Got Fear?

Got fear?  Think LOVE ...continually:

....God's perfect LOVE for you

....God's perfect LOVE for him/her/them/that whom/which you fear

....God's perfect LOVE that dissolves ALL fears

....God's perfect LOVE that NEVER fails

....God's perfect LOVE that He IS 

....God's perfect LOVE poured through Jesus into, and through you

As you receive Him, receive it, and allow it to FLOW

Your fears, my Friend, you will know ... NO MORE!!!

'There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear,

because fear involves [devilish/demonic] torment.

But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.'

(1 John 4:18)

From Glory, to Glory

The many tests and trials you and I moan and groan about in this Christian life are actually well articulated/designed agents of an incredible transformation process. First and foremost, they are designed to prompt us to direct, intensify and sustain our focus on Jesus, NOT on the test or trial. "Not so easy!", Peter might say, recalling the cold, sinking wetness he felt as he momentarily took his eye off Jesus while walking on the sea.

Perhaps some clarity about the actual transformation process might help us to embrace tests and trials as "all joy", as James insists. (James 1:2)

In any stressful situation, it is human nature to look intently at the stressors. Right? The Word, however, encourages us to look at Jesus, not at the sources of the stress. Imagine something so UN-human! The Word promises as we mentally look at and meditate on Jesus, we are "transformed...from glory-to-glory."  (2 Corinthians 3:16-18). Glory may not be a concept we can easily grasp, so some study of the many definitions is encouraged. God refers to us as "the Excellent Ones on the earth, in whom is ALL My delight" (Psalm 16:3), and in His eye, we are indeed shining magnificence. The brightness of our significance is enhanced as we are transformed more and more into the image of Christ.

To aid our assignment, there are four broad 'configurations' in which we can look at Jesus. A mix of these configurations is more than adequate variety to keep us engaged in obedience:

1. Jesus pre-incarnate (before He took on a human body)

2. Jesus incarnate (in human flesh)

3. Jesus as our High Priest

4. Jesus as the King of Kings throughout eternity

From Genesis-to-Revelation, there are plenty of scriptural insights pertaining to each of these 'configurations'. Recall, as the New Testament is "Jesus revealed", the Old Testament is "Jesus concealed" so look carefully and you will surely find Him figuratively and spiritually in every poem, song, tale, tragedy and victory. As life is designed, there is surely NO test or trial to which at least one or more mental image within these configurations of Jesus will not correspond. Half the joy James speaks of may well be the mental challenge and fun of sifting and sorting through, and finding relevant images of Jesus pertaining to our tests and trials. Look carefully and you will perceive His presence, whether as:

 --Grace-and-Mercy-Giver

 --Forgiver of repented sinfulness

 --Judge of un-repented sinfulness

 --Predictor of future events

 --Orchestrator of predicted events to bring His predictions to light

 --Patient Global King in-waiting

 --Protector of the righteous

 --General in charge of all angels - both holy and un

 --Etc., etc.

So how are we transformed, and what do higher levels of brilliant radiance look like? Here are five ways by which we are transformed simply by keeping our focus on Jesus:

1. We are transformed by faith, simply because The Word says we are. Remember, use the 'canvass of your imagination' to paint whatever faith-building picture you like of this promise, and use the 'paint brush of your tongue' (word confessions) to make bold strokes in bold colors. Make it fun!

2. We magnify whatever we mentally focus on. Our minds act like a magnifying glass, so be careful what you focus on intently. Remember the power of even a small magnifying glass we learned about as children, starting small fires on the sidewalk? Focusing on Jesus magnifies Him and minimizes the problems. In response, faith kicks in to keep fear at-bay, and to usher in God's perfecting will in accordance with His Word promises.

3. As we magnify Jesus, His light and life within us begin to disperse the darkness of fear in and around us. There is no such thing as a 'darkness switch', since darkness only dis-plays (as in 'comes out to play') when controlled light is off. Be like Motel 8 and "leave the light on for you!" Remember, light trumps darkness.

4. As the darkness of fear, doubt and unloveliness are dispersed, we see more clearly His purpose, our given authority in and over the situation, and His power of Grace and Love being released into the situation ...through us. Humans are not designed to see in the dark, be it physical or spiritual darkness. Remember, light prompts sight.

5. The cumulative result is an experience of His perfect peace and assured, eventual VICTORY and increasing LOVE (fruit) as we keep our focus on Him. (Isaiah 26:3)

Here is a practical example of the above transformation process:

1. A seed (a faith promise) is cast into the ground and is smothered as the soil, true to its nature, diligently works to crack open and return (decay) the seed to its basic soil-like components.

2. But true to ITS nature (DNA), as it decays, the seed responds with a series of well-focused punches to overcome this smothering darkness.

3. First, as it decays, it actually changes the chemistry of the immediately surrounding soil to serve the seed's own purposes.

4. Then, within this chemically changed soil, the seed's DNA actually triggers new life from which roots dig downward to seek water and food at deeper depths, and a shoot springs upward, breaking the crusted soil, in search of food from light. Thus, the resulting plant finds two empowering resources to propel its purpose.

5. Eventually, with time and patience, the plant produces leaves, then sap and eventually fruit according to its purpose (DNA code).

Here is the application: 

1. YOU ARE THE SEED if you are a born-again and Holy Spirit-filled. God's Spirit and divine nature are your DNA. (2 Peter 1:4)

2. The circumstances of life constitute the soil, the darkness of the world that tries to break down and decay your godly life and character, to manifest your base/fleshly/carnal nature.

3. Your spiritual DNA is purposefully designed to CHANGE (e.g., to salt) the make-up and bring LIGHT to the ungodly darkness surrounding you. As it tries to change and decay you, you effectively change it. 

4. This darkness forces you to deepen the roots of your faith, and to push upward in higher prayer, thanksgiving and praise to God, in the midst of (not necessarily for) tests and trials. Imagine that!

5. In cultivating your faith and patience, God Himself produces first the 'leaf', then the 'sap', and eventually the 'fruit' of His DNA inside you -- the increasingly shining image of Christ in an increasingly dark world, manifesting through your demeanor, words and actions.

To God be ALL the glory? No, not quite because He quite benevolently shares glory with you and me - not His personal glory, per se, but glory nevertheless! (Isaiah 42:8, John 17:22, Psalm 8:5, 16:9, 30:12, 57:8, Ephesians 1:18, Hebrews 2:7, etc.). Surprised? There is not only ‘Glory@End-of-My-Story’. Jesus is keenly interested in sharing glory with us in-the-NOW!!! How awesome!

This gives fresh meaning to the expression, "From Glory, to Glory!", as glory is shared from Heaven...with YOU!

Found: Route 7-7-7

Perhaps you may have heard these familiar expressions:

• Mind over matter
• Our thoughts manifest our current reality
• Our current reality is the product of our past thoughts

Is it true? Can we change our circumstantial realities by changing our thought patterns? Could it be that simple?

Well, YES …… and no! 

  

Yes, because God made everything within the ‘earth realm’ to operate based on the seed, time and harvest principle, and in large part, our thoughts are the effective seeds to what we become and what we experience as reality or actuality. This point is borne out in Proverbs 23:7, which is excerpted as: …As he thinks in his heart, so is he.

No, because of the same reason: thoughts are indeed mere, yet important seeds. It takes much more than simply having seeds to yield a desired crop! Seeds are the promise, and they come with a pretty big set of “Ifs”:

1. If planted in good soil, relevant to the desired crop

2. If watered and fed proper nutrition, per the requirements of the desired crop

3. If weed seeds/plants are kept from choking the crop

4. If thieves (human or otherwise) are kept from stealing the pre-harvest crop

5. If the matured crop is harvested on and in time

6. If the good harvest is protected and used appropriately 

Note the number of ifs above: 6, which, according to Revelation 13:18, is the number of man. Spiritually, 6 represents incompleteness. Man was created as a tri-partite being, in the image of Jesus Christ, The Lord God The Creator: spirit (heart) and soul (mind, will, emotions, imagination, intellect) and body. Originally, each part was created immortal, but because of Adam's sin, our bodies are now mortal, yet a draft copy of what shall one day become immortal. Thus, now we 'lack a little of the Godhead'. (See: Ye Are gods (Series)) Separated and apart (un-united) from God, tri-partite man is represented by the number, 6-6-6. Spiritually, the number, 7, represents completion and perfection. Perhaps now can you perceive why the number, 7, and especially 7-7-7 are so attractive to us humans.

In launching his failed coup d’etat to dethrone God, Lucifer was pursuing his own route to 7-7-7 status – Route 7-7-7, if you will. His next attempt was to achieve it through God’s highest creation, mankind (or God-kind), created in God’s image. Later on, he pursued it via the Nephilim who crossed the boundary lines separating angels from humans (Genesis 6: 1-8). Modern day scientists are still discovering the giant skeletal remnants of this failed attempt. (See Google and YouTube!)

Despite our best efforts, we all remain stuck on our incomplete Route 6-6-6, seeking and longing for perfection and completion on Route 7-7-7. Like Lucifer, we pursue it via several routes, including wealth accumulation, popularity, beauty and the so-called fountain of youthfulness, material possessions, educational degrees, impressive curriculum vitae, successive marriages, and the list goes on….and on…

Yet we may not realize God, Himself, has a unique plan for us to get on this Route 7-7-7, His way! After all, we were originally created in that perfect state, and He has literally moved heaven and earth to get us back to the way we were! That is indeed good news!

How do we get there? God has outlined in His Book, The Bible, a succinct, three point plan that will ensure we achieve what He and we alike desire, eternal cruising on Route 7-7-7! Here it is, in the order God intends.

•  Fear God: This is where deep-rooted wisdom begins.This means honoring and respecting Him as God, Almighty who loves and desires to draw us to Himself, again, back to where we were originally. It also means embracing His carefully articulated plan to achieve this objective. This means recognizing we cannot achieve it by any of the above-noted means, but by embracing His Son, Jesus, as the only way back to God as Father. Call it intolerance to ‘other ways’ if you like, but, quite frankly, that will not change God’s mind or perfect plan. Is it really wise and worth it to take such a huge risk to believe you know a better way?!

• Renew your soul: Since everything we know and experience operates by the seed, time and harvest principle, and since in large part, our thoughts are the effective seeds to what we become and what we experience as reality, we cannot skip this important step. Good seed appropriately managed yields good fruit. What mature adult doesn’t know that? The Bible (The Word of God) in the ONLY book that contains critical seed (insights to immutable laws, principles and promises) containing the spiritual DNA to produce the fruit you need and want for a successful life on earth, and a blissful eternal life after this one passes on. The wisdom gained from the first step above will show you how to respect, discover and apply this seed. When planted in our soul, this seed will eventually establish good roots in our hearts/spirits. 

• Activate The Word: The good root system in our hearts/spirits from the second step above will gradually influence and shape our dominant thought patterns, our ensuing words, and our deliberative actions. Think of this as Captain Kirk’s (of the starship, Enterprise) favorite order, Engage! No matter how good a strategic plan the crew of the spaceship Enterprise would devise, it would be worthless unless deliberately and intentionally activated, assessed and adjusted with progress. Again, what mature adult doesn’t know that? 

Sounds simple and easy? Well, YES……and no! 

Yes, because it is simple to understand, and to begin. No, because it will take a lifetime of trial, testing and evil-resisting growth to achieve (like anything else worth having). The beauty of God’s plan is His Helper, The Holy Spirit, who has been sent to help us every step along the way … even between the blinks of our eyes, the beats of our hearts and the breaths of our souls.

With this clear outline, my Friend, I invite you simply to …… Engage!

Fit for Higher Kingdom Use

As I pray to be fit for greater, higher, more impactful use in the Kingdom of God, I increasingly realize just how much our words are often ‘stout against us’. Words are seeds, planted in the earth realm (a word planting field) in the spiritual medium or context of either faith or fear. Faith and fear are the exact same spiritual force expressed (moving) in opposite directions, and producing opposite results. God provided us His Word(s) to use to replace our word seeds, in order to achieve and receive His kind of results. It takes retraining (renewing) our minds and flesh (especially our carnal mind and tongue) to apply this. (Habakkuk 2:4)

Here’s the rub. Our minds and tongues are so well trained in the ways of the world, that it is our first nature to use our words against us, against what we are believing for, rather than towards what we are believing for. We do this because we are well trained to provide regular situational and circumstantial reports to anyone who will lend an ear to hear about what we are currently experiencing as we walk through the fog and clouds of time. We fail to realize the extent to which…

  Situations and circumstances are spiritually designed/allowed

to reveal what we really believe, exposing what’s going on inside.

(See Jeremiah 17:10 and many other verses on how God tests mankind.)

Each time we provide situational or circumstantial reports concerning ‘what currently is’, we help to reinforce and ensure the receipt of even more of what is rather than ‘what should be, or what we desire to be/have’.

Remember, words are seeds, and they produce, sometimes quickly, sometimes over time. They both produce and reflect our system of beliefs upon which we take corresponding actions.

What’s the answer? I believe it is watching carefully over our words (spoken, written and even sung). (Matthew 12:36) While it may be challenging not to provide running commentary on current situations and circumstances we are navigating, perhaps anytime we do so should be immediately followed up by clearly stating/communicating exactly what we believe, based on the Word of God, regarding these situations and circumstances. Why? I imagine our words provide spiritual instructions or authorizations to angels (both the good and evil ones). To do otherwise is effectively planting more of the circumstantial and situational seeds to produce more of what we are already experiencing. In other ‘words’, end situational reporting by saying (planting seed) what God says about such situations. In this manner, we:

• Reinforce… our knowledge of the contextual Word
• Release… the faith to change undesirable circumstances and situations
• Rearrange… the ‘spiritual deck’ of our lives to empower God’s angels to bring to pass ‘what we say and believe’ based on His promises to the righteous

Many Christians are stout against the word of faith approach to Christian living, but in rejecting it, they likely verify the truth of this approach. From Genesis-to-Revelation, The Bible is replete with example-after-example of people either correctly applying or mis-applying this approach. Since the Word is given to instruct us, why do so many fail to learn from these examples?

Jesus, our best example, regularly prompted people to speak what was in their hearts, what they really believed. In doing so, He was quietly leading them to apply God’s kind of faith’ – speaking faith. (Mark 11:23 – 26) When they caught on, He marveled at their great faith. When they failed, He marveled at their little or no faith.

Consider spending quality time meditating on the scenes of Mark 11, the context, and its application to your situations as they ebb and flow through time. Imagine yourself actually doing what Jesus says to do. Imagine yourself quickly recognizing circumstances as invitations to say what you believe. Guess what? One way or the other, you will say exactly what you believe, and if you’re carnally-minded, it will most likely be based on fear! Better to say something in faith based on God’s promises to the righteous in Christ.

Review:  Situations and circumstances really are spiritual invitation, structured or allowed to prompt us to say something. The world says ‘seeing is believing’. The Word essentially says:

‘SAYING is BELIEVING’

….because, saint and sinner alike, we are all created in God’s image to say what we believe. Out of the abundance of our heart, our mouth speaks! Don’t be fooled. Saying what you are experiencing circumstantially without saying what you believe essentially plants seeds to receive more of what you are experiencing rather than what you are desiring to receive, which is a change in problematic situations.

As we correctly and consistently apply this Kingdom principle, we become fit for higher, more impactful use in God’s plans and purposes for our lives and the world at large.

You’re invited to speak what you believe,

and spiritually receive what you speak.

So what will you speak? Heaven’s hosts are listening.

Desmond Tutu Prefers Hell Over This

Bishop Tutu suggests he would rather spend eternity in hell than in heaven if God is homophobic.*  He reportedly said, 

I would not worship a God who is homophobic and that is how deeply I feel about this … I would refuse to go to a homophobic heaven.  No, I would say sorry, I mean I would much rather go to the other place.

In expressing his choice, is the Bishop likely to win the praise of God or condemnation to a God-less eternity in hell?  Is God homophobic, as many Christians seem to assert? 

In attempting to answer this question, we Christians generally fail to distinguish between (or outright confuse) moral laws and civil laws.  Rather, as I suspect Bishop Tutu may do, we need to embrace the dictates of established (passed/enacted) civil laws that give certain rights to homosexuals and lesbians, and do so in the same manner that we recognize civil laws as pertaining to any other people who break God’s moral laws (e.g., liars, cheats, thieves, etc.). It is one thing to fight and argue for or against a proposed civil law, and another thing to embrace a civil law, once passed and enacted. Moral laws, on the other hand, are solely in God’s domain to establish, judge and enforce. He has established, and will indeed judge and enforce His moral laws, without our help!

Back to the above question. Homophobia is defined as irrational fear of, aversion to, or discrimination against homosexuality/lesbianism or homosexuals/lesbians. The word, homophobia, has two root words:

• Homo, relating to mankind and also a slang for homosexual
• Phobia, relating to fear or anxiety

To answer the question requires us first to embrace the assertion in The Bible that God IS Love, and in Him there is no fear, darkness or evil. The admonitions, “fear not” and “do not fear”, appear many times throughout the Bible. It would be a great contradiction, therefore, for God, Himself to fear anything! So let’s put this point to rest – God is not nor can He ever be “phobic”. End of discussion.

As Love itself (Himself), God is “homo-loving”, or loving of mankind. While we are able to hate people (e.g., see Psalm 139:19 – 22 and Psalm 15:4), it is impossible for Love to hate people.  God does not hate people whom He created out of Love. Some may challenge this assertion in light of the scripture, “Jacob I have loved and Esau I have hated…” (Malachi 1:2-3). Contextual analysis of this scripture is treated in many on-line references (e.g., Why did God love Jacob and hate Esau?). While we humans have considerable difficulty segregating the person from the person’s motives and actions, God has no such conflict.  It is not a conundrum for Him to “love a sinner and hate his/her sin”. He both regards and judges the heart-rooted motives, words and actions of us all because He is just as much a Judge who loves Justice, as He is Love. He perfectly blends Love and Justice, something that is difficult for us to grasp.

Given this, Bishop Tutu’s assertion is spot-on! I, too, would rather not spend an eternity with a people-hating God, or even hateful people, for that matter! I would, and I suspect Bishop Tutu might also welcome spending an eternity with an all-loving God who has both the right and responsibility to judge sin and wickedness, none of which can enter into His Heaven, whether it be the so-called ‘little white lie’, homosexuality, lesbianism or any other sin against God’s moral laws.  The only way into God’s Heaven is to have all our sins washed away forever by the Blood of Jesus Christ, which is accomplished by embracing Him as our personal Savior, then growing in His Grace and spiritual strength. Point blank, there is no other way, and that’s His assertion, not something I made up.

---------- 

* Desmond Tutu Would Prefer Hell Over A Homophobic Heaven

Seeds of the Fruit of Obedience

I am anchored in the belief that anything, everything The Lord commands me to do, all I can do is to:

·      Acknowledge it as His will for me.

·      Remind Him (and me) that in my flesh, I cannot do it to His satisfaction.

·      Remind Him I am HIS workmanship, created in Christ Jesus.

·      Ask Him, by His Spirit and my faith, to allow the seed of His Word to ‘just do it’ through me, to His glory and my satisfaction.

Whenever I strike out and try to ‘just do it’ in my own strength and ability, I mess up,  creating a greater mess than there was before! Man, I hate that with a passion. So He is teaching me some deeper lessons about waiting patiently for Him to align the circumstances in such a way that He can ‘just do it’ through me, and get His glory, to boot! That's remarkable~~~

In hearing from God, we often hear the right message, but then get out ahead of Him, and try to bring it to pass, frequently in the wrong timing and manner- our timing and manner. I’ve been there. Have you??

My new approach is to acknowledge the message, then start looking for, and being alert to how the Hand of God may be aligning circumstances, so He, Himself, can ‘just do it!’  If I meddle, I will, likely in pride, be tempted to steal His glory - a big NO-NO! When the devil suggests I have disobeyed big time, I am learning to ignore him. God knows my heart, there where the seed of His Word is growing a desire and ability for real obedience. Life now is less about my doing, and more about my being steadfastly patient to recognize I am His workmanship, not my own.

This is not an easy lesson to learn nor convey, as we all have crammed into us the ‘Just do it!’ mentality of secular humanism. It really takes retraining my entire mental framework to start looking for what The Lord is doing through me, as His Spirit quickens or brings to life the seed of His Word hidden within me, rather than pridefully looking upon what 'I have done!'. Often, when He is ready to perform His will through me, I hardly recognize when or how He has moved, until after the fact. Frequently, others recognize it well before I do. wOw~ I love it! All I have to do is to learn to relax, to not be anxious about obeying (which my spiritual enemy would love for me to do), and to just recognize Father God is reading the love language of my ready heart - my increasing recognition that I am His workmanship, not my own. My job is to feed, meditate His  Word, and allow His Spirit to produce His fruit of willing and acceptable obedience within me. Hey, there is no amount of stressing and straining fruit trees can do ...to produce fruit!

Remember how Abraham and Sarah tried to finagle God’s promise of a son? Twenty-five years after giving the Promise, God was ready to ‘just do it’, Himself, through them, by the Power of His Spirit. That way, only He could get the Glory! What a God and Savior, and what a lesson.

So whatever to-do’s you may come across in your study and meditation of/on the Word, hey, r-e-l-a-x, cultivate a heart of patiently waiting for God, Himself, to do that through you, in His manner and timing; and be on the look-out for His ‘Hand@work’ in circumstances, because you, too, are His handiwork. In this manner, you also become His ‘Hand@work’ in the lives of others.

This reinforces the lesson expressed in From Lists to Loving.

NEWS FLASH: Real-time Intelligence Data Collection

Much of the world is shocked at the leaked revelations of the US intelligence community collecting hoards of telephone and Internet data for later farming in the event of potential national security threats. But why so much fuss and angst over this while being oblivious to the extensive, real-time data being collected by Higher Intelligence for guaranteed (not potential) use for or against every human who will have ever lived? Seriously, our priorities need to be realigned to focus on the data collection that really matters …for all eternity! 

Consider these corroborated prophecies:

I watched till thrones were put in place, and the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, its wheels a burning fire; a fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was seated, and the books were opened. (Daniel 7: 9-10)

Then I saw a great white Throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. and another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things written in the books. (Revelation 20:11-12)

So don’t sweat the small stuff. Rather, realize you’re already in the books that really matter, eternally. Spend your energy influencing what’s recorded therein.