Every summer, I recall my parents would take us kids to the Clearfield County Fair. As we wandered around, the sights and smells gave us a sensory overload!
Exploring the Farm Exhibits
We would start by walking through all the farm exhibits: cows, rabbits, chickens, hogs, horses; you name it, I think they had it! Mom would want to walk through all the exhibits that highlighted things like canned foods, knitting, quilts, paintings, and the like.
The Allure of the Mid-Way
While the animals and farm exhibits were interesting, I would catch glimpses of the Mid-Way; the rides, games, and cotton candy were beckoning me to come and see! I would tug on Mom and Dad’s hand, hoping they would get the hint.
The Excitement of the Mid-Way
Finally, we entered the Mid-Way… WOW, what a sight! Dad took me on the double Ferris Wheel, and as we spun high above the clamor, we could see forever, or so it seemed! Getting a bird’s-eye view, we could see it all and could even see Mom far below, waving up at us.
Navigating the Gauntlet of Games
As we began to walk through the gauntlet of games and attractions, some of the game operators began to call out to my dad, and I became a bit uneasy. They would say slightly demeaning things like, “Hey you, why don’t you show your boy how strong you are? Take the hammer and ring the bell; make your boy proud!”
It seemed like every game we went by, some carnival worker would bark out stinging little slogans designed to get my dad to react and buy a ticket to play.
A Memorable Game Challenge
I recall stopping by a game where one of the players was having a dispute with the operator. The game looked simple: a pool ball placed in the center of a circle with a silver dollar on top of the ball.
The idea was to take a cue ball and knock the ball away, dropping the coin in the center of the circle, not touching the lines of the circle drawn on the table. One of the men who had been trying the game declared it impossible to win, and the argument was heated.
Since we had a pool table at home, I knew I could do it! I asked Dad if I could play. He was not too keen on the idea, but since I had the money for the game, he let me play.
A Triumphant Moment
I lined up the cue stick, put a hard spin to the left, and hit the cue ball hard. It nearly missed the desired ball with the coin on top but just nipped it, leaving the silver dollar drop perfectly in the center!
The carnival game operator made such a fuss about me accomplishing this task that he gave me the largest stuffed animal he had; it was nearly as tall as I was! The man who had been arguing walked away in disgust!
Drawing Parallels to Political Unrest
The experiences at the carnival remind me of the current state of political unrest in our country. It’s as if the politicians have become nothing more than “carnival barkers,” attempting to elicit emotional responses by shouting empty slogans designed to get a quick reaction.
The Noise of Political Barking
It seems both sides of the political spectrum are fully engaged with constant “carnival barking,” hoping to gain the most attention in the shortest amount of time. The goal seems to be convincing those passing by to join in the hate and animus of the day.
A Christian Response to the Clamor
How are we, as Christians, supposed to negotiate the constant clamor and confusing rhetoric coming from those elected to serve us?
Keeping Our True Citizenship in Perspective
First, we need to keep our “true” citizenship in perspective. Jesus reveals that we are not of this world any more than He is! “They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.” (John 17:16)
When we decided to follow Jesus and make our allegiance to Him, we became part of His Kingdom. The Apostle Paul declares in Colossians 1:13, “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love…”
Therefore, even though we love our country deeply, our first and strongest loyalty is to Christ and the advancement of His Kingdom!
Recognizing Manipulative Tactics
So when the political “carnival barkers” shout demeaning slogans against people created in the image of God, as you journey by, you can see it for what it is: an attempt to draw you out of the Kingdom of God and back into the kingdom of darkness.
Engaging with Purpose and Guidance
Secondly, it is OK to get involved with the political system if you choose to. If you decide to jump in, be sure to do so with the prompting and leading of Jesus. Go in with a clear-eyed view of what you are doing.
Just like the little game I played and won, the training, confidence, and the backing of my dad gave me everything I needed to do it and win; you need the same from your heavenly Father, and you will win too!
Staying Grounded Amid the Noise
So, let the carnival barkers bark; it is what they do! Do not believe every word they shout; most of them are not true at all. It is only a ploy to get YOU off your game and into theirs. Enjoy the carnival… but be careful out there!
You Have Been Seated with Christ in the Heavenly Realms
God’s great hope for us is not simply the forgiveness of sins and a place in heaven when we die; but rather, He wants us totally restored, in heart, mind and soul . . . NOW!
As we enter into this amazing adventure with God, we soon recognize that we are a part of something tremendous, something that is beyond our earthy perspective, and we are transported into the heavens with Christ; we live, breathe, and find our being in Him!
This Bible study will help you rediscover how it all began, what happened in the Garden of Eden, who is the Devil really, and what is he up to today.
Head into the heavenly realms and discover profound truths concerning your relationship with God, and His incredible plan for you.
Search your heart, preparing for a fresh baptism of the Holy Spirit. In this study, you will enter into God’s armory, suiting up with the whole armor of God.
Discover the Keys to the Kingdom given to you, and learn what they unlock; discovering your true nature in Christ, the authority given, the Sword of the Spirit, the covering armor, and the mission ahead, you will truly learn to pray . . . Upside Down!
It was early in my pastoral career; I was serving two small community churches about 16 miles apart. I received a call from a woman at one of the churches.
The woman told me that a friend of a friend, heard of a family in the community, whose mother was in critical condition at a local hospital; and would I go see her.
New to ministry, and wanting to be a good pastor, I said that I would go. I put on my pastor suit, grabbed my Bible and headed to the hospital. I was ill prepared for what I was about to encounter.
Stepping Into the Unknown
When I arrived to the hospital, I asked for the room number of the ailing mother. I approached the room with a great deal of anxiety; not knowing what to expect.
The door was open, so I gently entered the room, standing in the doorway. I saw about 8 people in the room, and an elderly woman in the hospital bed.
She was on life support; a respirator was helping her breathe; I could tell she was not long for this world.
When the family in the room turned to see who I was, they recognized I was a preacher; two of the teenage granddaughters, burst into tears and ran out of the room past me. The rest of the family just looked at me, not saying a word.
Divine Interruption
I began to stammer a bit, as I struggled for something to say. I told them that a friend of a friend of theirs had mentioned to a friend of mine, the situation regarding their mother and I thought I should come . . . awkward silence ensued!
As I stood there, in that tongue-tied, odd moment of indecision, the Lord took action; the power went out to the entire hospital!
The room went dark for about 15 seconds; which seemed like an eternity. The magnetic doors to all the rooms slammed shut; the poor woman on the ventilator began to choke and gasp for air, alarms were going off, and the family in the room began to panic!
The whole power outage was short lived, but it created quite a stir; the nurses came bursting into the room, caring for the elderly woman; resetting the alarms and making sure she stabilized.
Purpose in the Chaos
When the pandemonium calmed down; I whispered; “Lord, You don’t ever have to do that again . . . I know what I need to do and why I am here.”
I went to the bedside of the woman and I took her hand. I could not tell if she could hear me or not; she never once opened her eyes.
I told her that I was a pastor who came to pray for her. I began to tell her how much Jesus loved her, and that she needed to trust in Him right now.
I shared a little more about Jesus, and then I asked if she was trusting in Jesus right now; at that instant, she gripped my hand hard, an indication to me that she heard everything I was saying, and that she was indeed trusting in Him.
I told her that if Jesus comes to her soon, that it is all right to go to Him. I said a prayer for her, and then quietly left the room.
Ministry Beyond the Hospital
The next afternoon, Jesus came to receive her, and she went quietly with Him.
The family, none of whom attended any church, called me to see if I would do the funeral for their mom, since “I knew her.” I graciously accepted the request with honor. I began the funeral service by telling the very same story, I just told you!
God helps us in our walk with Him, going to extraordinary steps; getting our attention. He got mine that day, and reminded me that I am on a mission to let people know, sick or not, that He is near, He loves them, and wants them to follow Him . . . It is that simple!
I recall one hot summer afternoon when I was about 8 years old my dad, mom and me, went looking for some chokecherries so mom could make some chokecherry jam!
There were a few chokecherry trees not far from our property, so we took a couple of small buckets and off we went. We found a tree loaded with them, but the first few branches were high of the ground, so dad hoisted me up, then handed me the bucket, and I scurried up into the tree.
Wild Chokecherries
I was carefully plucking chokecherries, when suddenly; I felt a sting on the back of my neck, then another, and another! In a matter of seconds, I felt stung repeatedly!
I dropped the bucket and started yelling to dad as I made my descent as quickly as possible. When I got to the last branch, I jumped into dads arms and we ran away as fast as we could!
When we got home, mom attended to my stinging wounds; stung about a dozen times or more.
A hornets’ nest, tucked in the tree; unnoticed by us, and disturbed by my presence, the hornets attacked me!
White Faced Hornet
Watch out for Hornets in the wild
I am so glad that my parents rushed me home and took care of my stinging wounds, applying pain-relieving ointments and cold cloths to the afflicted areas. I am sure the temptation was for my dad to knock down that hornet nest and make them “pay” for what they did to me.
The fact is, we have hornets in the wild, and when we get too close to their nests, they react. It is best to be a little more careful when investigating the great wilderness surrounding us, and when we locate a hornets’ nest, give it a wide berth.
It is an entirely different situation when the hornets decide to build near our home; we simply cannot permit it, so we take measures to ensure that does not happen. When we spy those aerial stinging insects, attempting to build a nest on our house, we knock it down and destroy it swiftly.
Furthermore, we remain diligent, keeping close watch, inspecting our homes and properties often, making sure they are safe from these stinging critters.
We are born with a fatal sting
While remembering this almost forgotten event from my childhood, it dawned on me, that we could make an important spiritual application from this story.
We know that, spiritually speaking, we are all born with a sting in our soul, a spiritually fatal sting; we know only one cure for this lethal condition, and that would be Jesus.
Jesus went to the Cross embracing every sting of every person; you could say on the Cross-, He was swarmed. The fierce stings of sin penetrated His flesh, burning deep.
Even after He had given up His Spirit to the Father, one last “sting” for good measure given, as they pierced His side! It was finished!
Of course, we know that the Father raised Jesus up; Praise God for that! The Bible now declares . . .
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
For those who have come to Christ Jesus, the “sting” of death, now erased, and all our “stings” forgiven; this is great news!
On a mission to remove the sting of death
Now, as followers of Jesus, we are on a mission to show people everywhere, how to get that “sting” of death out, and replaced with the River of Life!
Early in my Christian journey, as I wandered through our community, I noticed all these “hornet” nests established throughout our town; cults, bars, secret societies, and the like. I recall standing in front of these establishments praying against them, invoking the power of God to come and destroy these places of iniquity.
Almost every time I did this, I would feel swarmed by “demonic hornets” throughout the following week; some spiritual attacks were quite vicious and painful; I got the feeling the devil was out for blood!
I began to wonder what I was doing wrong, so I began to examine Jesus’ life and His tactics; and my eyes opened.
During the time of Jesus’ ministry, certainly one HUGE hornet nest, was the Roman Empire. The folks following Jesus, wanted Him to eradicate that nest; to tear it down and bring freedom, political freedom from the oppression everyone felt from that ungodly regime!
Jesus did not go to Rome, standing there praying against it; rather He went to people, offering to remove the “sting” of death from their heart. He knew advancing His Kingdom would happen, one heart at a time!
He focused on His mission; Isaiah 61:1-3
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.
His mission has become our mission; we would do well to follow it!
Do not permit hornets to build in your house
Jesus did not go to the “hornet nests” in the wild; rather He left them alone. However, He would NOT tolerate the building of “hornet nests” in His household; He tore them down quickly, and so should we!
It is one thing to encounter a hornets’ nest in the wild, and another thing to discover one in your house. The ones we find in the wild, we avoid, and give wide berth to; the ones we find in our home, we quickly exterminate, so it is in the Kingdom of Christ!
When Jesus encountered the money-changers, Pharisees, and false teachers of the Law, doing business in His Father’s house, He let them have it, and called them out; even driving them out with a whip!
Jesus driving out the money-changers
In light of these truths, I have decided to change my tactics a bit; rather than looking for spiritual hornet nests in the wild, and standing there shouting at them. I have decided to concentrate on identifying hornet nests inside the church (His Body) exposing and knocking them down!
I intend to be intentionally helping persons remove the sting of death in their soul; then warning them to stay away from known hornets nests in the wild.
Now, don’t get me wrong here, if the Holy Spirit directs me to stand in front of a hornet nest and shout at it; I will do so without hesitation, fully expecting that the nest will fall, just like the walls of Jericho fell when the Israelite army shouted at it!
Meanwhile . . . there are stings to remove, soothing salve to apply, a Kingdom to advance . . . one soul at a time!
You Have Been Seated with Christ in the Heavenly Realms
God’s great hope for us is not simply the forgiveness of sins and a place in heaven when we die; but rather, He wants us totally restored, in heart, mind and soul . . . NOW!
As we enter into this amazing adventure with God, we soon recognize that we are a part of something tremendous, something that is beyond our earthy perspective, and we are transported into the heavens with Christ; we live, breathe, and find our being in Him!
This Bible study will help you rediscover how it all began, what happened in the Garden of Eden, who is the Devil really, and what is he up to today.
Head into the heavenly realms and discover profound truths concerning your relationship with God, and His incredible plan for you.
Search your heart, preparing for a fresh baptism of the Holy Spirit. In this study, you will enter into God’s armory, suiting up with the whole armor of God.
Discover the Keys to the Kingdom given to you, and learn what they unlock; discovering your true nature in Christ, the authority given, the Sword of the Spirit, the covering armor, and the mission ahead, you will truly learn to pray . . . Upside Down!
I want to share something that happened early in my Christian journey, something that would define and shape my call to evangelistic ministry; a vision I had while I was working at a local factory; it took place a few months after I met Jesus.
I must be upfront and say, over the course of the many years that I have been following Jesus, I have only had a few, what I call “visions” from God; I could count them all on one hand.
This particular vision took place while I was running a rotary hammer, drilling through 12 inches of concrete.
Two Groups: The Blinded and The Believers
To begin, the Bible reveals two people groups on this planet; those who have had their eyes opened to the truth of Jesus Christ and have chosen to follow Him, and those who remain blinded to the truth and cannot see.
The Bible declares that satan (the god of this age) has kept a certain population blinded from the truth . . .
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God
Satan has done an amazing job of keeping people in the dark about Jesus. So many people have bought into the lies perpetrated by faulty science; a science which denies the existence of God and attempts to tamp down any knowledge of God in the creation around us. The Bible says a few things about these folks . . .
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
It is a very difficult thing to try to disprove the existence of God, it takes a long, sophisticated, patient process; one thing for sure, the devil is quite patient and has been laying this demonic groundwork for years and has been quite successful!
The second group is those who have heard the Good News and have believed it; however, it is not enough to believe, one MUST follow the One they have believed in, the One who holds the keys to life, and death, heaven and hell.
These folks, having heard the Good News about salvation, have decided to follow Him.
There is no middle ground, you can no more be half saved than you can be half-pregnant, you either are, or you are not!
To know the truth of Christ and yet refuse to follow Him, places you in a special category, a place despised by God who gave everything, so you could have eternal life with Him!
The Dark Train Revealed
At the time of my vision, I was not a pastor; I was a welder and maintenance worker at local manufacturing plant called Pennsylvania Pressed Metals.
One afternoon while I was drilling a hole in the concrete floor, a vision flashed through my mind that was so powerful, so strong that I stood there with tears streaming down my face; hot tears dripping in the dust of the concrete floor.
Since I was a little boy, trains have always fascinated me. These machines are so strong, so powerful; they are simply amazing to watch.
Growing up in the little Village of Cameron, I would often hike up the mountain behind our house, and if you were on top of the mountain, you could see the whole train go by; from the engine to the caboose, you could see the whole train, it was awesome!
As I stood drilling in the plant that afternoon, I felt transported from the factory, to a high bank overlooking the railroad; it was so real.
Standing there in this vision, I felt the ground began to tremble, and I heard a strong, powerful sound coming down the track. The sound and vibrations grew stronger and stronger.
Suddenly I noticed a train, sleek, streamlined and moving at an incredible speed, careening around the corner coming in my direction.
The train was very long and as it sped toward me I began to feel uneasy and wanted to run away, but my feet, fixed firmly to the ground, prevented me from moving!
The Beast’s Train
As the train came into view and began to scream past me, I noticed that it had number on the front and the number was 666 and just above the number, written in large letters “THE BEAST.” I stood motionless, terrified at what I was seeing!
The windows were black as coal, and as the train roared by, sparks were flying off the iron wheels! There was the smell of death and a feeling of despair.
I could sense inside the train were countless souls screaming for release, but they could not get out; bound to a destination that was eternal, a destination bringing fear and torment to their souls.
As I stood there petrified at what I saw, I felt Someone standing next to me; it was the Lord. I asked Him what this all meant. He told me that the train represented the devil and he is taking his own to their final destination.
The Lord told me that the devil is exceedingly angry and is filling the train as fast as he can, with and many souls as he can, because he knows his time is short.
Jesus said that the train was full of those who had rejected His message of salvation. They were the ones, who had heard what He had done for them, who knew the Way, but chose instead, to do life on their own terms and had died without Christ and now were eternally lost.
I saw tears well up in the eyes of the Savior and He spoke these words to me; “some on this train have never heard of what I had done for them; no one ever told them that they could be forgiven, having everlasting life with Me; these are also forever lost, and are on that train too.”
It was as this point, I began to weep too and hot tears fell to the dusty floor of that factory!
I began to realize that everyone is born with a ticket to ride this long black train! Josh Turner, a Country Western Singer, became popular when he wrote the song “Long Black Train” written about 9 years after my vision.
The Call to Share the Gospel
As I stood there weeping, it became increasingly clear, that the Lord was sorrowful because many who were perishing, did not have to! He was heartbroken that no one was telling them that they could avoid this destruction!
The Bible declares . . .
Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!
People all around us are perishing because they have never heard the Good News! Moreover, did you know, as a follower of Christ, it is YOUR responsibility to share?
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. . .
This is a direct command from Jesus Himself to you and me, to be about making sure this message gets out; it is not secondary, but is His prime directive!
The Glory Train
As I stood weeping with the Lord, He pointed in an opposite direction and told me to look and see!
I saw another train, much different from the first. I could sense that it had much more power than the first train.
The earth also shook as this train approached. As it rounded the corner, I could hardly contain my excitement at what I saw!
It was beautiful! The train was silver, adorned with gold trimmings and splashed with jewels of every kind and brilliant flashing lights.
On the front of this train was a gold emblem “King of Kings and Lord of Lords” and its Conductor’s name is Faithful and True!
As this train went by, I saw an astonishing thing taking place; as the large golden wheels rolled over the rail, it immediately turned to gold!
The windows were large and clear, I could easily see inside, it was beautiful beyond description, and I could see the people, their faces filled with expressions of joy. I could hear beautiful music and singing of praises.
I felt an amazing sense of peace, joy and wonder. The people on this train, also headed to a destination, a place called glory, a place where their joy and happiness would never end!
The Lord told me that only one thing was required to get on this train; a repentant heart, one touched by His Hand, a heart that carried His Spirit!
Oh how the Lord longs for a repentant heart today! The proud stubborn heart has a guaranteed seat on the dark train; it is time to turn in that ugly ticket to hell and get one stamped Glory!
Time Is Running Out
Time is getting short and tickets are running out . . .
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.
The awesome and terrible day of the Lord is drawing near and without a repentant heart, you have no salvation and a black, cold dark train, is bearing down upon your soul!
Inevitable Collision
As I stood there watching this scene play out before my eyes, I saw something terrible and wonderful at the same time!
I realized that these trains were riding on the same track; headed for a collision; one train faces complete destruction, the other would prevail . . . one train would be full of life, the other full of death!
One would face an eternity separated from God, tormented day and night forever and ever, the other, unending joy with Jesus!
Call and A Challenge
Today I issue a call and a challenge . . .
First the call . . . there are some reading this today who are unsure of their eternal destiny. Some of you have wanted to follow Jesus, but have been afraid, some have been lulled into a false sense of security, others are fearful of what people may think.
Today the Holy Spirit has uncovered your vulnerability and is giving you an opportunity for life; a chance to get your ticket stamped for glory! Today is the day . . .
For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.
Please, I beg you; do not let this opportunity slip by, let nothing get in the way of you and Jesus!
Now, the challenge . . .
The dark train is filling fast; many souls are being lost every day! For those of you who are followers of Jesus, you have a job to do! It is your response – “ability” to share the Gospel of Jesus!
Take Jesus with you to work, take Him everywhere you go and ask Him to provide opportunities for you to share!
Your Decision Matters
Finally, one last closing story to illustrate this need . . .
A woman was standing before the Lord on judgment day. As she came near to the Lord, she heard Him say these comforting words; “come over here my good and faithful servant, you belong to me.”
As she stood beside the Lord, she saw an old friend approaching the Lord too. When she stood before the Lord, He looked at her, and with sadness in His eyes, told her, “go away from me, I do not know you” and he sent her to the place where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth! As the women turned to her fate, she saw her old friend standing by Jesus and cried out; “Why didn’t you tell me about Him? Why?
This is the tale of two trains, one bound for Glory, one bound for Hell, which one are you on?
You Have Been Seated with Christ in the Heavenly Realms
God’s great hope for us is not simply the forgiveness of sins and a place in heaven when we die; but rather, He wants us totally restored, in heart, mind and soul . . . NOW!
As we enter into this amazing adventure with God, we soon recognize that we are a part of something tremendous, something that is beyond our earthy perspective, and we are transported into the heavens with Christ; we live, breathe, and find our being in Him!
This Bible study will help you rediscover how it all began, what happened in the Garden of Eden, who is the Devil really, and what is he up to today.
Head into the heavenly realms and discover profound truths concerning your relationship with God, and His incredible plan for you.
Search your heart, preparing for a fresh baptism of the Holy Spirit. In this study, you will enter into God’s armory, suiting up with the whole armor of God.
Discover the Keys to the Kingdom given to you, and learn what they unlock; discovering your true nature in Christ, the authority given, the Sword of the Spirit, the covering armor, and the mission ahead, you will truly learn to pray . . . Upside Down!
In an ever increasingly distracting world, it is easy to get off course. The constant chatter on TV, social media, radio, and a host of other venues, beckons us into the world of chaos.
Once distracted, we ramble on down a pathway we should never have embarked on and we get in trouble. Too often, once there, we begin to justify our stay, and our trouble only worsens.
Our minds become cluttered with endless information, most of which serves no purpose other than to pull us away from what truly matters. We scroll endlessly, consuming content that often leaves us feeling empty and disconnected from our spiritual roots. The noise of the world drowns out the still, small voice that seeks to guide us.
These distractions aren’t merely inconveniences—they’re strategic diversions that lead us astray from our divine purpose. With each notification, each breaking news alert, each viral video, we’re presented with a choice: to remain connected to what matters eternally or to surrender to the temporary allure of worldly engagement.
God’s Invitation
Now confused and struggling, we wonder what to do; then God suggests an amazing solution . . .
One of my favorite passages in the Bible . . .
“Come now, let us reason together,”says the LORD.“Though your sins are like scarlet,they shall be as white as snow;though they are red as crimson,they shall be like wool. If you are willing and obedient,you will eat the best from the land;but if you resist and rebel,you will be devoured by the sword.”For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
This invitation from the God of the universe stands in stark contrast to the chaotic calls of our culture.
While the world shouts for our attention through countless distractions, God simply invites us to sit down and reason together.
There’s no manipulation, no flashy gimmicks—just a straightforward invitation to conversation and reconciliation.
What strikes me most about this passage is the tenderness behind it. The Almighty God, who holds all power and authority, doesn’t demand or coerce.
These words reveal a God who values relationship over ritual, connection over compliance.
A Divine Conversation
I just love this Scripture; God says; “Come now, let us reason together.”
It is as if God has just poured a cup of coffee for you, and invites you to the table, One on one, to see if there can be a solution. God is awesome!
Imagine this scene: The morning light filters through your kitchen window. Steam rises from your coffee cup. And there, across from you, sits the Creator of the universe, ready to listen, to speak, to reason together.
No rushing, no agenda beyond restoring the relationship. Just you and God, having coffee together.
In these sacred moments, transformation begins. The burdens you’ve been carrying—the guilt, the shame, the regret—can be placed on the table between you.
The distractions that have led you astray can be acknowledged and released. This is where healing starts: not in a megachurch, not in a religious ritual, but in intimate conversation with a God who cares enough to meet you where you are.
These divine coffee moments don’t require theological training or perfect understanding. They simply require your presence and honesty.
God already knows your struggles, your doubts, your sins. He’s inviting you to acknowledge them together, so healing can begin.
The Condition of Forgiveness
Even though you have rebelled, God wants to forgive you, but there is a condition, you must be willing and obedient. You have to be both.
It’s not enough to be willing, and it’s not enough to be obedient, you must be willingly obedient.
This willing obedience isn’t God’s way of controlling us—it’s His path to liberating us. When we willingly choose obedience, we align ourselves with the design specifications of our Creator.
The beautiful paradox of this relationship is that true freedom is found in submission. By willingly surrendering to God’s wisdom, we’re freed from the tyranny of our own limited perspective and the destructive patterns that entangle us when we chart our own course.
Daily Renewal
Each morning presents a fresh opportunity for this sacred conversation. Before checking emails, before scrolling through social media, before allowing the world’s chaos to infiltrate your mind, consider sitting down for coffee with God.
Open His Word, quiet your heart, and listen for His invitation to reason together.
This daily practice isn’t about religious obligation—it’s about relationship cultivation. It’s about creating space for a conversation with God that transforms your perspective, realigns your priorities, and renews your spirit for the day ahead.
In these quiet moments of connection, the distractions of the world fade into proper perspective.
What seemed so urgent on social media suddenly appears trivial compared to eternal matters. The opinions that once consumed your thoughts lose their power when placed alongside God’s truth.
Promise of Restoration
The promise in Isaiah is clear: willing obedience leads to blessing—“you will eat the best from the land.”
This isn’t prosperity gospel; it’s simply the natural outcome of fellowship with our Creator. When we follow God’s design for our lives, we experience the richness of life as it was meant to be lived.
The alternative is equally clear: resistance and rebellion lead to destruction. Not because God is vindictive, but because stepping outside His protective boundaries naturally exposes us to harm.
Settle this one before you start the day!
Each morning, before the distractions begin their relentless pursuit, make your choice.
Will you surrender to the chaos of endless distraction, or will you accept the invitation for coffee with God? The conversation awaits. The forgiveness is available. The path to peace is clear.
Choose willing obedience today, and experience the restoration that comes from reasoning together with the One who created you, knows you, and loves you completely.
You Have Been Seated with Christ in the Heavenly Realms
God’s great hope for us is not simply the forgiveness of sins and a place in heaven when we die; but rather, He wants us totally restored, in heart, mind and soul . . . NOW!
As we enter into this amazing adventure with God, we soon recognize that we are a part of something tremendous, something that is beyond our earthy perspective, and we are transported into the heavens with Christ; we live, breathe, and find our being in Him!
This Bible study will help you rediscover how it all began, what happened in the Garden of Eden, who is the Devil really, and what is he up to today.
Head into the heavenly realms and discover profound truths concerning your relationship with God, and His incredible plan for you.
Search your heart, preparing for a fresh baptism of the Holy Spirit. In this study, you will enter into God’s armory, suiting up with the whole armor of God.
Discover the Keys to the Kingdom given to you, and learn what they unlock; discovering your true nature in Christ, the authority given, the Sword of the Spirit, the covering armor, and the mission ahead, you will truly learn to pray . . . Upside Down!
