We weren’t paying attention and must have missed our exit, and of course; miss direction played her part.

You have heard; that “time is money”, it works like this, if people are distracted, starved down to survival mode, diverted by inflammatory speech (who are we mad at today) is there a list I can get?

Don’t concern yourself, someone will let know when to bark and when to bite, remember your obedience conditioning training. Eye’s to ground; slaves don’t look around.

Understand your attention account is severely overdrawn, and yes I’m afraid there are penalties.

I know you’re asking yourself; but what can I do, and won’t it fix it’s self; if we can just run a little faster, work a little harder?

Well friend; I’m glad you asked.

There is now a good book available to the average person; the author has been around, but is relatively unknown. It contains detailed instructions and directions; a guide; if you will; to the way we should go.

Available at many good-book stores. Here are a few excerpts “He is the lifter of my head” and “it is for freedom that He set you free” and that classic, “he who the Son sets free is free indeed” yes, all these and many more

And it comes with a Rock-solid guarantee.

Once you are completely satisfied; with your purchase;

your money will be cheerfully refunded.

The apostle Paul (Saul; for our Jewish contestants) said; “I became all things to all people, in hope that I might win some”. This is strange; in that; when Saul makes his appearance in the narrative; he is anything but caring about what other people’s motives were. He was stone-fast in his purposes (constraining, harassing and even killing those that followed the Way), so what happened? It seams he began to see some value in other people, I wonder where he found such an idea (must have met someone on a road-trip, who had a different outlook, though it was probably hard to see at first).

Are we quick to mob-up on others; about whom we may have been told something?

Now; for the difficult section, for today, what if we try to understand why someone is doing something, or thinking a certain way?  We may not agree about a lot of things, but  there may be; some common goals discovered. Not a compromising of truth, (of which I am pretty sure we don’t know everything about) but some areas of concern to all involved.

Has anything like this ever been attempted before?

I wonder what it was like to live in heaven, and how much it took; to step into this ruined, place with all it’s problems? Someone must have really loved this world to do that. If you attempt this, it will most likely; take more than you think you have to give, and some days;  you may search to find enough strength to take your next step. Still,

A word from someone who went first.

“He who loses his life for my sake, will find it”

A painful thing to do is look at school year books. When the children are just starting off on the adventure of a lifetime with the brightness of smiles the innocence and hopeful wonder in their eyes. As the years of books get newer you may notice that some of the smiles get less, their eye’s story begins to darken and fade. Not many smiles can find their way to the end, most are lost or stolen. Don’t be fooled it doesn’t stop with that, the attack against hope and expectancy is beaten at nearly every step and turn.

At this point in this discussion It will get very dark and painful, but gather your strength, maybe your very last well protected bit of hope, Psalm3:1O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me; 2many are saying of my soul, “There is no salvation for him in God.” 3But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.

We are seeing many now that were raped and misused as a standard practice. G-D has something to say about these things, if a person was raped; they were to cry out as it was happening, and if they didn’t ; both were condemned to death.  Some of you were raped and path forward is put that in the light. Some of you traded your treasures, for what you may have been lead to believe was some benefit to you.  Most of you; however were never taught what to do; about someone that would aggressively try to persuade you into having sex, much less how to conduct yourself while you are being raped.

If you have made bad choices or the choices were made against your will. You can not change any of it.

In times past if an enemy would capture a people; one of the things they would do is burn their eyes out, sometimes the last things that they would see, is family being raped and murdered.

Samson is a person that made bad choices and had bad choices made for him. As a result the enemy captured him , cut his hair (taking his strength) and put his eyes out. So in the same way these memories of what happened to you may well be burned into your mind and your eyes can’t see anything else.

If you would take a look at your hand; G-D said the we are fearfully and wonderfully made, the word fearfully used there means to be done with great carefulness. You may not know that the cells in your hand are not the same ones as they were, the old ones are continually  being renewed, replaced. In fact all parts of you body even the scares; are now made of brand new cells.

In time Samson’s hair began to grow and G-D gave him back his strength, and he finished as a warrior.  I’m sorry that these terrible things have happened, and that your innocent smile and the brightness of your eyes is gone.

G-D offers us a way on from here, He said to renew our minds, this is done by pouring His pure word into our thoughts. This is the only thing that I know will work every time. G-D Loves You and He is not trying to get something else from you.

Maybe just to fearfully and wonderfully Renew you.

         Yeshua Ha-mashiach said I Am the door and the other ways are used by thieves (that go directly after your possessions) and robbers (that go after your possessions even if they have to hurt you to get them).

        Doors and Gates are a great invention ; a way through to something that would otherwise be impossible to get to, but just because there is a door, it doesn’t mean that they are always passable; and we expect that they shouldn’t be. Remember the garden after man’s bad dietary choice ( whew; some of that stuff will kill you).

Genesis 3: 24He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.

       A door/gate limits access at the very least, and denies passage to some; because of their actions. We have seen how G-D addressed the problem, there was no way in, and he made a way for those that would choose life.

      We have doors and keys for the locks, we have pass-codes and pin numbers, all for our protection and peace. What about as a nation, should the same ideas apply?

       Nehemiah can give us a look at what happens when you may decide that your place and your people have value; and that they should be treated properly. (It’s not a sin to have something)

       Nehemiah17Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned down. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, so that we will no longer be a disgrace.”

       As we can read about what happened. When even the talk of building a wall ( limiting access) was mentioned, those that hated the Jewish people immediately got angry and began to oppose with increasingly violent actions. Please read the whole account, but for now we will jump toward the end, and stop on the Sabbath and see that Nehemiah stopped the access to those that wanted to do as they pleased, without respect for the laws of the land.

       Even with a wall and gates ( different gates for different things ) there is still access for those that just wanted to fit in and enjoy the stability of a sound way of life. The wall and gates; however were still closed to those that only wanted to do harm. Peace can be the result, but unlimited and unchecked access will not get to the common good; for anyone.

The book is still right, and the song a delight,

The problem you see, is still you and me.

As Our ears fail to harken, and Our eyes that are dark

How can we fix this; what can be done, where is the Way, in which victory is won?,

Is that a sound, just little and small, but can’t mean anything no nothing at all,

Could it be the voice of a leader; but still it’s persisting; in calm steady meter.

A sparkle of light, my eyes are straining , is there something of value still here remaining

Is this a beginning of something brand new, or the call for a payment long past due?

No one comes here, this place is a wreck, just fear and filth here; no prospects.

Are my eyes lying, that can’t be; can it, the book his has open; the word pouring out,

a new song from his voice, is easing my doubt.

It all blends together the old and the new. The singing I hear, is that me and you?

Isaiah 9: 10For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes, the prophets; and your heads, the seers, hath he covered.

11And all vision is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he says, I cannot, for it is sealed: 12and the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he says, I can not read.

Revelation 5:1I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals. 2And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?” 3And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or to look into it. 4Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it; 5and one of the elders said to me, “Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.”

      6And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth. 7And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. 8When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9And they sang a new song, saying,

“Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.
10“You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.

                As our moments harden into the past before our eyes, set fast; unchangeable.  In this strange malleable fluid of now; is a constant choice of futures.  How to know what to do?  Maybe, look back and see what has given the best results.  It has been said “a smart person will learn from their mistakes and a wise person will learn from someone else’s mistakes”. 

          Paul told Timothy in (2Tim 3:16); that the scripture is complete; with the answer to all things pertaining to life and godliness.  Let’s look at Isaiah 3, which seams to look a lot like where we are now.  Children ruling / people proudly display their favorite sin / disrespect of honorable / mockery of those that won’t agree with their chosen path / and  constantly trying to set up someone to blame for the ruin.

Isaiah 3

1For, behold, the Lord, the LORD of the hosts, takes away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread and the whole stay of water, 2the mighty man and the man of war, the judge and the prophet, the fortune-teller and the ancient, 3the captain of fifty and the honorable man and the counselor and the cunning artificer and the eloquent wise man. 4And I will give children to be their princes, and young fools shall rule over them. 5And the people shall do violence, one against another, and each one against his neighbor; the child shall rise up against the ancient and the base against the honorable. 6When a man shall take hold of his brother of the house of his father, saying, Thou hast clothing, be thou our ruler, and let this ruin be under thy hand; 7in that day he shall swear, saying, I will not be a healer for in my house is neither bread nor clothing: do not make me a ruler of the people. 8For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen because their tongue and their doings have been against the LORD, to irritate the eyes of his majesty.

9The appearance of their countenance witnesses against them, and they declare their sin as Sodom; they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! For they have rewarded evil unto themselves. 10Say unto the righteous that it shall be well with him, for they shall eat of the fruit of their doings. 11Woe unto the wicked! It shall be ill with him, for according to the work of his hands it shall be done unto him. 12The oppressors of my people are many, and women rule over him. O my people, those who lead thee cause thee to err and twist the way of thy paths.

One way; you pay and pay, but better choices, bring better days.

      As far the blame for this mess, (Judgment begins at the house of God.) In the choices that you make; start small, (the little foxes spoil the vines) study the Bible and be quick to listen for God to say yes or no; about even the very smallest decisions ( He that is faithful in little, will be faithful in much). As for those that oppose you, try responding as if they were your children, or your valued friends. “God is not willing that any should perish”, but let us be sure of our condition first, one said (search me Oh God and see…)

A little story. Someone murders their neighbor, it does not matter the reason ( the daily news seems to think that; if we can find a reason, we can tell ourselves that the problem is only with that one, and not mankind; especially not me).  So the murder’s relatives, parents, brothers, sisters, spouse, children, all will suffer both from inside; ( questioning themselves; why did they do it?) from outside; ( you are related to them, so there is something wrong with your group) or maybe you should  known something and should have stopped it; so you all are guilty.

On the other side of the street is where we find the family of the person who was murdered. The question of why, the irreplaceable loss, (spouse without their mate, children missing a parent, loss of a child.  The friends or family; who may decide; blood for blood and death continues.  We are left with; life times of repercussions. All the while; persons who did not do the evil; are paying a cost of the actions of the one who did the murder.

Israel Defeated at Ai Joshua 7 

(Look at the damage; from one man’s choice, and cost to the whole nation.)

1But the people of Israel broke faith in regard to the devoted things, for Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things. And the anger of the LORD burned against the people of Israel. ….. And they fled before the men of Ai, 5and the men of Ai killed about thirty-six of their men ….. 4And Joshua and all Israel with him took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver and the cloak and the bar of gold, and his sons and daughters and his oxen and donkeys and sheep and his tent and all that he had. And they brought them up to the Valley of Achor. 25And Joshua said, “Why did you bring trouble on us? The Lord brings trouble on you today.

Jesus at one point; talked about two accounts of seemingly random suffering or unfairness.

Luke 13        At that time, some people came and reported to him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2And he responded to them, “Do you think that these Galileans were more sinful than all the other Galileans because they suffered these things?3No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as well. 4Or those eighteen that the tower in Siloam fell on and killed — do you think they were more sinful than all the other people who live in Jerusalem? 5No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as well.”

Jesus said that suffering is connected to and is a result of sin ( not being as God intended ).

So the question of why do the innocents suffer ; needs to address ( who are the innocents?)

You see that; No man lives to himself and No man dies to himself.

A person’s sin ( not being as God intended ) will spread far beyond the individual; in making others suffer through their decisions and actions. Most blame God; for the suffering in the world, but the fault is ours.  What will the decisions we are making now, bring?

So we see that sin has a cost that must be addressed, it does not go away just because it may have happened years or even generations before.  The pathway out, is to humble ourselves; and seek GOD’s face.  It will still take a while to see the difference, but the following generations; will have a better starting point. It is not on you to fix everything, but like Nehemiah’s project, fix the wall in front of your house.

What has been; will be again. In a seemingly unending flood of words; truth is more difficult to find.

This is an old device; it is clumsy but effective, it’s purpose to move the focus .

Like an avalanche rolling over anything in it’s way; so is the rush to remove the individual’s ability to defend themselves. Is that a problem? What does it look like when this is removed from the individual? Won’t the authorities be there to guard and protect? Yes they will. We know when a bank get robbed the there is a great outpouring of resources, different though than when a little store is robbed; or a house is broken into and someone’s treasures are taken; they will show up maybe take some pictures; write a few things down. To end with ; Well these things happen, we will let you know if we find anything.

At least someone needs to ask the question; Why do we have the second amendment, and who was it designed to protect us from? Maybe we don’t need it anymore. Look at what happened; when children were being murdered, sons and daughters never to come home, never to laugh, never to help, never to fill their place. While the action taken; was to stand down. Stand down and let this happen? We don’t know what we would have done. However this is not the first time the ‘stand down “ has been the considered course of action, I know it is difficult to find in the clutter of words; but you should probably look for it. Do you wonder; if some of those inside; during that day; even maybe some of those who are now saying no one should have the right to protect themselves, that if they had the means to stop the murders, would they ?

In a world where more people seem to be quicker to violence and have less restraint; what should  the response be? Are you as an individual or your people important to the authorities? I know there are people that are ready to hurt you and yours; by any means available to them. Will you being unable to stand up for yourselves help you? What are your people worth to you?

            Let’s suppose that you were a fourth beast, and let’s say that you wanted to attack G-D’s people; what could you do? Most have heard of Daniel in the lion’s den, but how did he get there? Best we should define two things, Law and statutes. First a law is unchangeable; like when G-D said you will die and then stand before the judgment. It does not matter how fast you run, how many vitamins you take, how much you have; it won’t change the fact that all things are in a condition of decaying. Now a statute (a ruling, a decree), that is a thing that can be changed. Let’ see how it’s done; fortunately; there are real life examples.

Daniel chapter six; gives a look at the process of attacking an innocent man in his own house.

. 4Then the presidents and governors looked for occasions against Daniel on behalf of the kingdom, but they could find no occasion or fault because he was faithful, and no vice nor fault was found in him. 5Then these men said, We shall never find any occasion against this Daniel except we find it against him in the law of his God.

…

7All the presidents of the kingdom, magistrates, governors, great ones, and captains have agreed in common accord to promote a royal decree and to confirm it that whoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, except of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions. 8Now, O king, confirm the decree and sign the writing that it not be moved, according to the law of Media and of Persia, which does not change. 9Therefore King Darius signed the writing and the decree. 10Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he entered into his house; and with the windows open toward Jerusalem in his dining chamber, he knelt three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God as he was used to doing before.

…

14When the king, heard the matter, it weighed very heavy upon him, and he set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he laboured until the going down of the sun to deliver him. 15Then those men assembled near the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that this is the law of Media and of Persia: No decree nor statute which the king has confirmed may be moved. 16Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king, speaking unto Daniel, said, Thy God whom thou servest continually, may he deliver thee. 17And a stone was brought and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet ring of his princes that the agreement concerning Daniel might not be changed.

…

19Therefore, the king arose very early in the morning at dawn and went in haste unto the den of lions. 20And when he came to the den, he cried loudly with a sad voice unto Daniel; and the king, in speaking to Daniel said, Daniel, servant of the living God, has thy God, whom thou servest continually, been able to deliver thee from the lions? 21Then Daniel said unto the king, O king, live for ever. 22My God has sent his angel, who shut the lions’ mouths, that they do me no evil because before him righteousness was found in me; and even before thee, O king, I have done no corruption. 23Then the king was exceeding glad because of him and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no injury was found upon him because he believed in his God. 24And the king commanded, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and even before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions had the mastery of them, and broke all their bones in pieces.

Daniel chapter seven shows the operation in a global scale

         19 “Then I wanted to be clear about the fourth beast,† the one different from all the others, extremely terrifying, with iron teeth and bronze claws, devouring, crushing, and trampling with its feet whatever was left. 20 I also wanted to know about the ten horns† on its head and about the other horn that came up, before which three fell ​— ​the horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spoke arrogantly,† and that looked bigger than the others. 21 As I was watching, this horn waged war† against the holy ones and was prevailing over them 22 until the Ancient of Days arrived and a judgment† was given in favor of the holy ones of the Most High, for the time had come, and the holy ones took possession of the kingdom.

          23 “This is what he said: ‘The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, different from all the other kingdoms. It will devour the whole earth, trample it down, and crush it. 24 The ten horns† are ten kings who will rise from this kingdom. Another king, different from the previous ones, will rise after them and subdue three kings. 25 He will speak words against the Most High† and oppress† the holy ones† of the Most High. He will intend to change religious festivals† and laws,† and the holy ones will be handed over to him for a time, times, and half a time.†† 26 But the court will convene,† and his dominion will be taken away, to be completely destroyed forever.† 27 The kingdom, dominion, and greatness of the kingdoms under all of heaven will be given to the people, the holy ones of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom,† and all rulers will serve and obey him.’

†

The rules of engagement are being changed, and G-D’s people’s voice is ignored.

Some people want to change what is called right,

by calling  decrees;  laws.

Doesn’t G-D Say in Palms 94:20

“You have nothing to do with corrupt judges, who make injustice legal”

        Job specific; custom built and disposable. This sounds like good business practice, and resource management. To address the how to; you must define the goal. This particular goal then may seam as an odd place to end up; why, what are you trying to do? Let us say that the end for this division of the endeavor; is to enslave a large number of people.

          How to begin? Like any business planning session, knowing the goal you look at competing forces; to determine ; strengths and weaknesses. How then to exploit both to get an advantage. People are stronger when the group together. The grouping has layers; from the outer edges of community to all the way inside to dad, mom, and children. We can look at some of the areas of the four that are mentioned here, and that will have value, but you will need to do something that is different than you may be used to, yes I am talking about thinking, well back to the subject at hand ( enslaving people ).

        There is an example written about the people of Sodom, they were captured with all their wealth, and were taken away from their homes ( a proven tactic). They were rescued by; can you believe it Abraham. When they were brought back; the King of Sodom said to Abraham; “you keep all the money just give me the people”. Abraham said he would not take the money; he just wanted his own relatives (Lot and his family which had been captured along with the other people of the city). But wasn’t that a strange request on the king’s part, he was quite willing to trade all the money for the people. Did he just really like and care about the people, or is it that the people are the money? You may note that the people of Sodom may have conditioned to think that they were free ( doing anything they wanted, but they were just slaves being exploited to profit some else).

         So long ago; does this fit into today’s world? G-D said “nothing new under the sun”. We don’t have time for the olds we barely have time for the news. Keep them running keep them off balance don’t let them rest, (one of those tactics to use against the herd) they won’t have the time or energy to be of much help to themselves and none for any that may fall behind.

         Let us look at the layers, community let’s divide and isolate them by race, class, education. How about dad, let’s marginalize his worth, give him no hope for being able to maintain or much less get ahead of the crushing mounting debt, even a fifth and bridge abutment may look like an answer. What about mom, how do we get her? G-D said “she is the keeper of the home”, this statement has been misused, in that to devalue her into thinking that she is being short changed, she needs to out and doing ( she may even think that she can help her family by bringing in more money). I don’t think that is working out the way that she was told that it would; ( the more you make the you spend for things that you maybe would have been easier to do for herself). For a lot of moms, after a few years of that, they are in much worse condition than when they started. Oh’ that word keeper means to be the protector of the treasure. That leaves the children; now more alone. What chance will they have against; a so well organized endeavor?  

           There is an old account of a person who kept hitting a dog with a hammer, although the dog was a good and well mannered, he bit the person, Now that everyone of the natural protectors of the children have been taken out of the way. There is not much to keep the children from being hit .

        Take a careful look at what is happening in the schools. Do remember that there is a difference between an excuse and a reason. Thinking about the actions of the young man that has murdered so many. The loss that can not be regained or repaired or replaced. He will have to take responsibility for his actions.

        In the book of Esther; when a high ranking man named Haman wanted to destroy the Jewish people, Esther said to the king “ if we had only just been sold as slaves; I would have kept my peace, but Haman seeks our lives. The answer that was signed into law; was that the Jews could protect themselves.

       There are people that want to do evil and harm; and we see the authorities standing down (just like it was in Esther’s time) is it the time for people to give up any of their defenses?

It depends on which group you value, slaves or slavers.