Remodel the Barn

Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people. The Lord GOD which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I gather others to him, beside those that are gathered unto him.

Isaiah 56:6-8

It seems clear to all who are discerning of the times that the church is in desperate need of a revival, a true awakening, or even as some have suggested--a new Great Awakening.  Possibly what we need is a really new "Reformation".  In order to understand this we may need to quickly revisit the first Reformation to see what it was all about.  The first Reformation boiled down to a return to a few main tenants:  Sola Fide--by faith alone, Sola-gratia--by grace alone, Sola Scriptura--through scripture alone, and Sola Christos--through Christ alone.  The focus of salvation being a work of God had been replaced with preaching of good works as the centerpiece.  Prayer degenerated into just another good work.  Many Reformation leaders emphasized the "priesthood of all believers" as a means to get men to see that the basis of a work of God stems from a close, intimate, loving relationship with God by faith through the atoning work of Jesus our Redeemer.  Prayer was to be considered more than a worked out formula of sayings from a dusty old prayer book; ultimately, prayer was the life giving communication directed from a personal relationship with God.  In prayer the truths of scripture were to come alive.

As we lose focus of these concepts we begin to allow the church to stand in the place of an ongoing personal relationship with God through the power that is in Christ's cross.  By faith through grace we must experience that life giving power of God which intimacy with Him brings.  It is by the grace of the shed blood that any relationship with God is possible--hence Christ alone.  Our experiences must be centered on the basis of our faith--His Word.  Jesus, through intimate prayer, must become our true and undeniable passion.  Our relationship must not be centered on the bride, his church, but with the Bridegroom Himself.  Can you see how the four tenets above were to work together?  This brings us to the tenet that was not mentioned above with the others: Sola Deo Gloria--To GOD's Glory Alone.  Is your personal relationship with God more about what He can do for you or for His greater glory?

This brings us to the scripture above.  How does it fit in?  When God's purposes become our purposes we tend to set self aside and seek the will of God and the needs of others.  It is the pattern Christ, Himself, gave.  We are to love God as well as love others.  The LORD wills for His church to reach outside of the 4 walls of their individual sanctuaries to share the message of salvation, love, and hope that is in the sacrifice of Christ on the cross.  Verse 7 states that God is yearning to bring them into the house of prayer if they will accept the conditions of His salvation.  He wants to "make them joyful in my house of prayer".  A house of prayer--a place of relationship with GOD that seeks to bless others.  This may be the missing element.  It is, after all, His house first--not ours!

Blessings! Sorry I was away so long.  Moving has a tendency to cause us to lose focus!!!!!

Praying For Caesar

I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

1 Timothy 1:1-2

So many are discouraged with the results of the recent election.  There may well be much cause for this as the party that won the Presidential election has an immoral platform.  From the murder of the unborn, the trashing of the Biblical definition of marriage, and the abuse of God's Covenant promises to Israel, there is much that America will be accountable for.  However, in the face of this is the above verse of Paul inspired by God the Holy Spirit.  Whether you agree or disagree with the positions and the leadership of Barack Hussein Obama you are still required to pray for him.  The Word sometimes puts us in that place of a priest or mediator.  This nation needs prayer.  There is only one name in which any prayer is received of God, and you, dear Christian, are called to pray even for those so opposed to God and His purposes in the earth.  You are to take that uneasy place of mediation and call for God's mercy on the land.



It is believed that this letter to Timothy was written around 56 or 57 AD.  If so, that would mean that a very evil man was ruling the Roman Empire when Paul wrote this command.  It was the insane last member of the Julio-Claudine Dynasty, Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus.  Nero was a savage a brutal leader who even ordered the execution of his birth mother.  He was lewd and godless.  He was also the man who would later order the execution of the Apostle Paul under the first of the ten periods of persecution perpetrated on the church.  Was Paul serious, then, when he wrote for us to pray?  Very serious!  Are you praying for the President, the Congress, and the Supreme Court?  Remember, they have much to be accountable for before the eternal throne of the Lamb turned Lion.  

Nero the Decadent--Caesar of Paul's Day

When you take the time and research all of the leaders and elders that Paul may have had in mind, his injunction to pray was not to be taken lightly.  Pray, then for these leaders and for this nation.  Our time is short and judgement for the blood of the innocents is sure to be requited.  Pray, church pray.  Remember, Jesus Christ is Soon2Come.

Numbers of Dispensation?

Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter; The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

Revelation 1:19-20

Jesus gave John a great key to understanding the message delivered on Patmos.  It is found in verse nineteen of chapter one, "Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;..."  What John saw was the glory of the resurrected Christ in His position as our Heavenly High Priest. John had walked for three years of his life with the Lord, but the full glory of Christ revealed that day literally knocked him off of his feet.  Next, Jesus mentioned for him to write the things that are.  This portion of Jesus' revelation was the next two chapters--the letters to the churches.  Finally, the things which will be hereafter speaks of what will come during the Tribulation after the completion of the church age.  This begins at chapter four throughout the end of the book.

Jesus then returns to His position as our Great High Priest and elaborates on His priestly work walking among the seven churches.  Since this is still happening, it has left some to assume that we are still in the period of "...the things which are".  Furthermore, it seems that Jesus' use of the word mystery indicates that there is depth to His instructions that needs to be prayed about.  Some see this mystery and the letters as an outline to the churches work on earth while He is in Heaven.  The idea that Jesus outlined the entire church age in these letters is controversial; however, there is a mysterious correlation to the letters then and the history of the church over the last 2000 years that needs to be considered.  Understanding that may well let us see the nearness of His return.  Again, the ordinal position of each church enhances the message to each and outlines the past two millenia as well. 

The first days after the resurrection saw the church being like the church in Ephesus.  They were in total unity with Christ.  It is to this age all look wish to emulate even today.  However, again hear the warning of Christ.  It is possible to have a whole lot going on for Christ and not be placing Him first!  Always lift Jesus up as number one.  He will then draw all men to Himself and the church will grow.

The second church carried that number that speaks of Christ's fellowship with suffering.  Sardis was the age of the suffering church.  Jesus said that they would have tribulation for ten days.  History reveals ten "days" of persecution under ten Caesars.  Here they are:  Nero beginning 67 AD, Domitian beginning 81 AD, Trajan beginning 108 AD, Marcus Aurelius Antoninas, Severus beginning 162 AD, Maximus beginning in 235 AD, Decius in 249 AD, Valerian beginning in 257 AD, Aurelian in 274 AD, and Diocletian beginning in 303 AD.  Amazing--ten Caesars brought exactly ten seasons of persecution.

After this came the time when the true doctrines of the church were heavily attacked by rampant heresy.  Of these, the Trinity (symbolically seen in the number 3) was one of the doctrines settled in conference.  Remember Pergamos?  They were warned of heretical teachings creeping in.

Then comes worldly Thyratira.  This also matches the time when the church became the state and God's church was too much like the world to the point that the two could not be differentiated.  It would take the Reformation to shake the church from the worldliness that had set in.

Five is the number of grace.  What was the main point of contention during the days of the Reformation?  Was it not the means of salvation?  Salvation was shown to be a work of grace during this time period.  Sadly, the majority of the church was dead as it was relying on the pathetic works of the flesh while not relying on the power of God's Word nor the presence of the Holy Spirit.

The church in Philadelphia was concerned with open doors to be a witness.  This matches perfectly in church history with the time period when the Great Awakenings and the missionary outreach of the church was begun.  This was the season when men prayed 24/7 for a hundred years as well.  No wonder there was an open door--Christ was first place!

Finally, there is the church that thinks it needs nothing due to its wealth.  It is a worldly, materialistic, complacent church that is lukewarm with God.  Sound familiar? Is this not the current condition of the church?  Having said that, it reminds us to turn wholly to Christ as His is most certainly Soon2Come!


Related Posts:

It's All In The Name

What's Your Number

It Is All In The Name

And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

Revelation 2:8-10

In the post, What's Your Number?,  the thought that the ordinal position of each church was related to the message that Jesus shared with each congregation was explored.  While writing and studying that idea, it also became apparent that the name of each church chosen by the sovereign, omniscient Savior was also related to the message He shared with them thus enhancing the meaning for all generations.  The inspired and inerrant word of God is simply and utterly amazing!

Consider the meaning of the name of Ephesus.  It has two possible meanings.  The first is "permitted" as listed in the lexicon found on Blue Letter Bible and from other various sources.  How does this speak to the idea of unity or primacy since this church is the first one listed and these symbolic ideas are usually associated with the number one in scripture?  The more important question is, "how does one find unity with God?"  Abraham may be the person to ask.  In Genesis 22 he is seen taking his son, Isaac, to the summit of Mt. Moriah in obedience to God.  The LORD was testing the depth of his unity and whether God was first place (primacy) in his life.  As Abraham passed the test, the LORD placed a ram in the bushes nearby and gave us one of the greatest shadows of the sacrificial atonement of Christ in all of scripture.  It was faith in the promise of this future atonement of God's only begotten Son through which Abraham was proclaimed righteous--it PERMITTED him to be in unity with God by faith.  The LORD also revealed himself through the first special covenant name at this time--"The LORD will see to it" or "The LORD shall provide".  

Faith in the plan of God's salvation that He, Himself, oversaw is still what permits each and every believer to have unity with Heaven.  Christ and His sacrificial death permits us to boldly go before the throne of grace while His priestly intercession oversees our transformation as we walk in obedience to His purposes.  Maybe that is why the other possible meaning for Ephesus is "overseer" as is found on the Online Etymology Dictionary.  Grace permits us access with God who in turn oversees our life.  In His overseership, there are times when He must remind us that we have left our first love.

Let's briefly look at the position and the rest of the names of the churches:

Smyrna, as mentioned in the last post, means myrrh.  Myrrh is the Aramaic word for bitter and this is the church that was going through bitter trials.  Furthermore, myrrh was used as a pain killer.  That is also important for a church in severe persecution.  There was also the use of myrrh as an antiseptic.  Maybe this is why it is one of the two churches without condemnation?  Finally, myrrh is a perfume and was used to symbolize prayer.  When you are suffering, do you not want to hear from the One who understands your suffering and pain?  Jesus heard and comforted them with the word above, "be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life."

Pergamos is the Greek word for a watch tower.  This is also the church that was third--the place of divine completion or perfection.  Yet, they were not perfect as false doctrine was creeping in.  Maybe they needed to be more wary--to be on guard?

Thyratira's name is very fitting for a church wholly given over to godlessness and worldliness.  The name means, "odor of affliction."  When God's people allow worldliness to creep in to the point that the world and the church appear to be the same, it is certain that they look, walk, talk, and SMELL like the world.  Great affliction always come to those who are worldly!

Sardis was the church that was in the fifth place which is symbolic of grace.  Sadly, they were not alive in grace, they were dead in their works based foolishness.  What they needed was the one thing that gives all believers a right standing with God--the blood covering.  When judgement comes our way, God always passes over those who have the blood on the doorposts of their heart even as is seen in the picture of the Passover.  It is interesting to note, then, that Sardis means "red ones".

Philadelphia was the church in the sixth place, the place of man.  Six is the product of 2 and 3.  When believers fellowship (2) correctly with God and allow Him to bring divine perfection into their lives (3), they always produce saints and reach out to the world around them.  That is when they are living under the two greatest commandments which bring both fellowship and divine perfection and makes them the witness God wills.  They are directed by "brotherly love".  "Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law."  Romans 13:10

Laodicea, of course, was the church that saw themselves a spiritually perfect (symbolic meaning of seven) but to God they were not what they appeared to themselves.  Christ was left out of their church.  This is certainly the reason that this name signifies, "the justice of the people".  It was the people's church and not Christ's!  What a sad place to be.  Make sure you are His.  As you know, He is Soon2Come!

What's Your Number?

Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

Revelation 2:4

While looking at a synopsis of the messages of each of the seven letters in Revelation that John dictated for the Lord Jesus Christ, it became apparent that each church's commendation or rebuke was also related to the church's ordinal position.  To the first church there was/is a message related to their unity.  To the second there was/is a message related to their fellowship and so on.  These all encompassing letters also have a message for us.  The question dealing with your relationship is then, "what is your number?"

One is the number denoting primacy and unity as was mentioned in the last post, Unity and Fellowship.  Immediately, the correlation of the position of the church and its condition is seen.  Ephesus, the first church the Almighty addressed, had a unity problem.  This was the busy church filled with many good works.  The problem was that they had left their FIRST love.  Though their work for the Lord was praised, their heart was far from Christ.  Jesus must always remain first place in our lives, and we must maintain unity with Him no matter how much we do for His glory!  Christ our redeemer values our heart over our service.

Two represents Christ, the second man on the cross, and His fellowship and suffering on behalf of mankind.  Smyrna, whose name comes from the Greek word for myrrh used as a spice for burial, was in close fellowship with Jesus.  This fellowship also brought them great persecution.  They remind us that there are times when walking with the Lord will bring us trouble but great is the reward of the faithful.  Hear the words of Jesus on this.  "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." John 16:33

Three speaks of things that are whole, complete, or entire.  To most outsiders, the church in Pergamum may have appeared to be a complete church.  They held tightly to the LORD and even had those who were martyred among them.  However, they were not whole nor complete.  There was a problem.  They were allowing false doctrine to be taught.  Jesus warned that a little leaven leavens the whole lump.  Brood on the fact that even the little foxes spoil the vine.  Deal with those "little" things in your life that the LORD reveals to you immediately before it eats at your wholeness in Him.

Four symbolizes creation or the world.  Thyatira, the fourth church addressed, was spoken to in a fitting position.  This group of believers began to be swamped with worldliness.  They were allowing perverse pagan teaching from a "prophetess" who was leading them astray.  Furthermore, some were worshiping idols, mere statues made from worldly materials.  It is important to remember that this world, controlled by the god of this world, is your enemy.  Any teaching that deviates from "Thus saith the LORD" needs to be cast out.  The Bible alone should direct our lives.

Five is the number for grace.  God's grace brings life!  However, Sardis was a works based mess.  Men's works apart from grace, no matter how noble, bring death as they are an affront to the redeeming work of Christ our Redeemer.  While good works are an important indicator of our faith and trust in the LORD, they are not the source of our salvation.  Christ alone saves.

Six is the number for man.  Usually this number is always associated with that which is negative.  In Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love, we see this number representing what God wills for His church--to be a vibrant witness to mankind.  This church had an open door for ministry.  It was a door that allowed "whosoever will, come"!  It was a church where God and man were in close fellowship (2) and where the congregation stood complete in Christ (3).  Isn't 6 always the product of 2 x 3?  ;)  

Seven usually is a number that relates spiritual perfection.  Like six above, we see the opposite in this church.  Laodicea was anything but perfect before the LORD.  Yet, they were perfect in their own eyes.  They were so perfect, according to their pride, that they had need of nothing.  They didn't even need Jesus, so they left Him on the doorstep.  While Philadelphia had an open door to all men, Laodicea shut our the only Man that matters--Jesus Christ.

So what is your number.  Find out and hear the words Jesus spoke often, "Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent (Revelation 3:3a)."  Also remember as always, Jesus Christ is Soon2Come!

Unity and Fellowship

And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon: of shittim wood shalt thou make it. A cubit shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof; foursquare shall it be: and two cubits shall be the height thereof: the horns thereof shall be of the same. And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof; and thou shalt make unto it a crown of gold round about...And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it.  And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations.  Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering; neither shall ye pour drink offering thereon.

Exodus 30:1-3 and 7-9

Like every other piece of the tabernacle God instructed Moses to build, the altar of incense is filled with shadows pointing to Christ and our relationship with God through His mediation.  With all that is going on in the world around us we need to stop and rest at this altar often.  The altar of incense is that special place of relationship with God in Christ that prepares us to go beyond the veil into His holy presence.  Chaos and confusion disappear in the face of God.  Come and see.

By now you know that even the measurements of the furniture of the tabernacle have something to teach us.  The dimensions of this altar which symbolizes daily prayer is no different.  The altar measured one cubit wide x one cubit deep x two cubits tall.  One is always a number that speaks of unity.  For God, this is His greatest goal for us as believers.  He wishes that we would live our lives in complete unity with Heaven.  What can we do for God if we are out of fellowship with Him anyways?  Absolutely nothing!  For this reason the LORD wants us to see this number that also denotes primacy as an important message.  First and foremost, there must be unity with God whether we move forwards, backwards, left or right (length and depth).  Our relationship with Him and with others through Him must be first place.  (Isn't that the first commandment?) When we have nothing else between us and Him we will bear the fruit needed to be a witness to a lost world.   On a similar vein, I was sharing with someone the other day about the letters Jesus addressed to the 7 churches in Revelation 2 and 3.  What was the problem with the first church?  They were doing much--but they left their first love.  Jesus was reminding Ephesus that there is nothing more important then your relationship with God in Christ.

Two also has an important message as we examine this incense altar.  Which dimension was measured as two cubits?  The height was.  All of us usually speak of reaching "up" to God.  It is for this reason that the height is two as this is a number that is related to Christ and His fellowship with suffering.  Two always speaks of Jesus.  What member of the Trinity is He?  What cross was His on the day He was crucified?  Which "Adam" is He?  The point is that Christ is the "middle man", the mediator, the daysmen, the go-between, our Great High Priest.  Two also speaks of fellowship.  Amos asked, "Can two walk together except they be agreed?"  Can there be unity with God without fellowship through Christ?  Absolutely not!  If you reach up to God it must be through the person and work of Jesus Christ the LORD.  There is no other way.  

To strengthen that point the Holy Spirit also shared that the incense burnt on the altar daily had to be burnt using fire from the brass altar.  Leviticus 10 relates the story of two sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, who offered strange fire before the LORD and were destroyed.  There is no great mystery as to what the strange fire was.  It was just that--strange fire.  They used a source of heat other than the brazen altar to ignite the incense.  Maybe they just used a branch from their campfire?  Who knows?  However, it was not the ordained source of fire clearly revealed by God.  Any prayer that does not originate from the altar of sacrifice was and still is strictly forbidden.  In other words, there is no prayer outside of the sacrifice God appointed for unity with Heaven.  That sacrifice is Jesus.  There is no acceptable prayer outside of Jesus Christ's name!

The incense itself is the symbol of prayer.  There is one more message as well associated with the acceptable incense.  As we are associated with Jesus the Lamb of God, we are to be a living sacrifice at His altar. Where do you begin (and end) your journey with God?  At the cross.  That cross speaks of repentance.  Prayer without a life lived at the altar is just as deadly as prayer offered in the name of another.  If there is to be true unity and fellowship with God--it must be in and through Christ in a spirit of total dependence on His atoning work.  When there is this agreement, then the power of our prayers will reach out to all of the world around us.  This is the message found in the four horns around the top of the altar.  They represent the power of prayer through Jesus name while in unity with Heaven that breaks every stronghold.  Is your prayer life in unity and fellowship with God in Christ?  Keep looking "up" in Christ as He is Soon2Come!

Refocus

Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

Romans 16:17-18

Where do false teachings originate?  Paul is actually pretty clear on their point of origin. They are a manifestation of the flesh.  Note this portion of Galatians 5:19-20, "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these;...hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,..."  Did you catch that?  False teaching is often manifested from and supported by the flesh. Think about it. All false teaching has roots in the original temptation used by the evil one in the garden.  That means they come from the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. The Apostle John also confirms this notion in 1 John 2:16 when he shares, "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world."  They are nothing more than demonstrations of worldliness and carnality.

Let's note a few quick examples.  Some latch hold of a teaching as if it is some new revelation--a secret knowledge hidden from the masses that they alone are privy to.  At times they even go on the offensive with their lie going everywhere sharing it as if they were the greatest Bible expert in the world.  Rest assured that the fleshly, corrupt  fruit of the pride of life is associated with this.  They are not trying to edify nor uplift Christ and His church.  On the contrary, they are actually causing the other carnal sins listed above: wrath, strife, sedition, and the like.  A specific example, there are those who in pride feel it is their duty to enlighten others with their sage understanding of the rapture.  They set dates or go to sites with a viewpoint other than theirs for the sole purpose of causing dissension.  Rather than build up others, they purposefully argue and bring chaos.  While they say that it is to share truth, their harsh, prideful, and unforgiving attitude is exposed. This example is pointed out because it happens continually.  Almost every time something that relates to the timing of the rapture is mentioned, it engenders a fight. Is this not a sin of the flesh?  Yes, there are differences of opinion, and there will be until Jesus comes and settles the issue.  We have a mission of winning a lost world even while putting away the pride that keeps us from our task--refocus!


There are many today who promote and follow the lust of the eyes; furthermore, there are also many who relish in this sort of teaching so they heap to themselves teachers with itching ears.  Jesus does want us to lift our eyes and take serious notice.  He wants us to see that the harvest of souls in the world around us is rotting on the vine even while teacher after teacher refocuses the church's attention from the lost and dying to the temporal blessings of the world around.  Jesus also reminds us that there is no profit if we gain the entire world of goods and services while we lose our soul!  Please remember that neither your house, car, boat, bank account, job, nor any other thing this world has to offer leaves this earth.  The baubles of this world also have a Divine appointment with the fires of judgment.  They will all, ALL, burn someday.  Only one work of man enters eternity--the scars on the body of Christ the King.  You are very limited in what you can take into eternity with you.  You can win family, friends, and loved ones you win to Christ.  They are the only thing that can enter eternity with you.  Get your eyes off of the fleeting, light, and worthless things that are redirecting your attention from eternity and the eternal task given to you by Heaven's Throne.  All the world has to offer is worthless trinkets--refocus!

 One of the saddest facts is that too many today are also following and promoting the lust of the flesh in the name of grace.  Does God extend grace?  Of course!  However, find me one passage where He allows us to use the mercy and grace He has given in the awful and awesome sacrifice of Christ as a cloak or license for sin.  It is not there.  It is in the satanic bible, "Do as thou wilt shall be the whole of the law."  Yet, it is not found once in the Word.  Quit making excuses for sin in your life and repent before God.  Take your shortcomings to Christ that He may cleanse you from all unrighteousness.  Find the grace that is greater than your sin and that begins the healing from sin's consequences God wishes you to experience.  Quit listening to the lust of the flesh teachers who act as if grace is a license to do wrong and hear what the Word God promotes--a sold out life that is transformed by the power of God.  "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. "  Romans 12:1-2  Please--refocus!

In closing, I would like to share God's replacement for our pathetic works of the flesh which He has judged as worthless from an old post entitled Nine.  Nine is a number that symbolizes judgment as well as giftedness and fruitfulness.  In Christ, God deems our works void, but He gives a replacement.  "Our love is pathetic, and our goodness is corrupt.  If we strive to please him in selfish acts of flesh, we will be found to be empty, barren, and fruitless; however, God provided a replacement for our worthless fruit.  It is the 9 fruit of the Spirit.  When the substitutionary system based on the blood of animals was judged and ended, God opened up free access to the throne of grace through the person of Christ.  In the same way, God judged man's fruit as worthless and rotten to the core, but He provided a replacement cultivated by faith in Christ and the ongoing presence of the Holy Spirit.  He also judged the ministry works of man and replaced them with the 9 gifts of the Spirit.  The message is clear--the work of Jesus is all that God will accept.  Therefore, barrenness and fruitlessness in our lives is a clear sign that we are not appropriating the gifts and fruit of the Holy Ghost as God requires."

Have a blessed day in the LORD and keep looking up!  Jesus Christ is surely Soon2Come!