November 21 soboth wash my truck

   Soboth, wash my truck.   Daniel 1:6-7   Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: 7 Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego. The Lord sent the Babylonians to conquer His people the Jews because of their unfaithfulness to Him.  Of those who were not slaughtered the best and the brightest were taken to Babylon to become slaves. They were castrated and given new names.  They were expected to be productive or be killed.  Let’s imagine for a minute if that happened to us.  We live a life of luxury and comfort.  You may not think you are wealthy but the median annual household income in the United States is $43,585.  That is a per-capita of $15,480.  In Liberia the numbers are $781 per household and $118 per-capita. Can you imagine supporting your family on $65 a month?  Yet even $65 a month is better than what a slave gets.  If God allowed America to suffer our due...and if after being conquered you survived...how would life be as a slave living in a foreign country?  Going from spoiled and pampered to being a castrated slave at the mercy of your master?  Having to learn a new language.  Being bossed around by even children.  Laughed at and ridiculed.  Spit on.  Degraded.  Not even $65 a month spending cash.  Zero income.  I would be too old to be taken abroad so I would probably be killed or left to tend the fields for our new masters.  But if I lived... if I was taken to a foreign land to be a slave...how would I respond?  Given a new name.  Let’s pretend Soboth.  My new master saying, “Soboth...wash my truck.”  I would be bitter.  I would probably think back home before the invasion I could have worked hard and bought my own truck if I tried hard enough.  Now I am a slave.  A captive.  How I wish Jesus had delivered us from slavery instead of handing us over to our enemies.  This proves the verse...Galatians 6:7  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.  Our nation turned it’s back on God.  Then God turned His back on us.  Oh how I would wish for the good old days. But you and I still live in the good old days.  We still are spoiled and pampered.  We still make our own decisions.  Would a glimpse at coming judgment cause us to make course corrections today?  We need to.  Jesus help us to see our blessings and help us to purpose in our hearts to turn from our wicked ways and serve you as King so you are not forced to give us the judgment we deserve. 

 Talking with the President.  I would like to talk to President Trump.  I  would ask him to not use social media to sound off his anger.  I would  ask him to not use profanity.  On and on I could go if I could get close  to him.  Of course that will never happen.  Let's be real.  Layer after  layer after layer of security would have to give me permission to have a  meeting with him.  And then if I was granted the opportunity to  personally sit down with him, he might ask me what qualifies me to take  up his important time. How many skyscrapers have I built?  How many  millions of dollars have I earned?  On and on he could go asking me what  right do I have to take up his time?  He could flick me off as a person  would flick off a pesky gnat.  And rightfully so.  Now let's think  about me approaching someone more important than the President.  Jesus  Christ.  Has He built skyscrapers?  How about the sky?  Has He earned  millions?  How about He owns the whole wide world?  Do I have to go  through layers of security to talk to Him?  No.  He is only a prayer  away. Hebrews 4:16  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of  grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.   It doesn't make sense that I would be able to boldly come to His  throne of grace. Me?   Even me?  How could He have time for me?  If I  could have a one on one meeting with the President I would rehearse what  I would say.  I would not casually chit chat with such an important  person.  No small talk. Let's get right down to business.   No "How is  your wife?"  Strictly business.  After all he is important.  He doesn't  need a gnat buzzing him and irritating him with nonsense.  Must I be as  rehearsed with Jesus?  Can I really talk to Him about anything?  Please  help me find my car keys.  Please help me get along with this computer.   Sometimes life doesn't play fair.  Only the Lord knows how many times I  have prayed in desperation..."Lord please give me equipment that works.  I am willing to work but I need tools that work.  Please help me."   Does Jesus care that I have a cantankerous computer?  Yes.  Especially  when He is giving me a message and the computer keeps crashing.  So I  can't talk with the President...but I can talk to his Creator.  The One  who chose him to be elected.  Daniel 2:21  he removeth kings, and  setteth up kings . No man can be president unless Jesus puts him there.   But I drift from the point.  Jesus is the Supreme of the supreme.  Even  more Supreme that the Supreme Court. Think you could sit down and chat  with one of them?  Jesus is just a prayer away.  He is never too busy.   He will not turn you away.  However there is one prayer that you must  pray with repentance in your heart before your prayers have any power.   Luke 18:13  And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so  much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be  merciful to me a sinner.  If you are not sorry that you are sorry your  prayers will have no power.  Approach His throne of grace boldly.   Please approach Him today. 

 I quote from the book “The Spirit of America,” by Kenyn M. Cureton.  “  In 1605 a native American named Squanto and a half-dozen of his friends  were captured by some Englishmen on a fishing expedition and taken back  to England. Squanto lived there with an English Captain, where he  learned to speak English fluently, learned to eat English foods, and  learned English customs and ways. Nine years later, he came back across  the Atlantic on another fishing expedition, and he was let off to return  to his village.”   But a few months later, another group of Englishmen  arrived and Squanto was taken prisoner again and toted back across the  ocean with other Native American captives to the slave trading port of  Malaga, Spain. All 27 were auctioned off one by one, many to Arab slave  traders.  When it came time for Squanto to stand on the auction block, a  monk providentially walked by, looked at Squanto, took pity on him,  bought him, and took him back to the monastery, There he learned about  Jesus.  Eventually, the monks granted Squanto his freedom.  Homesick, he  made his way back to England and joined up with another fishing  expedition to the coasts of New England.  But when Squanto arrived at  home, he discovered that his entire tribe had been killed by a  mysterious disease that likely had been introduced by the white men.   Grief-stricken, he went to live with a neighboring tribe until in 1621  he received word that a group of Englishmen were attempting to settle on  the ground that once belonged to his kinsmen. Instead of seeking  revenge, Squanto came and offered them his services. The Pilgrims had  been craftsmen and townspeople in England, with little experience as  farmers or hunters.  In four months time they had caught only one  codfish.  Squanto taught the Pilgrims how to provide for the necessities  of life, including how to fish for cod, how to plant corn with a fish,  stalk deer, plant pumpkins, skin beavers, and determine what berries  were edible. In fact, William Bradford, governor of Plymouth Plantation,  called Squanto “a special instrument sent of God for their good beyond  their expectation.”  The Pilgrims decided to have a Thanksgiving  celebration at harvest time to rejoice in their fruitfulness.  Ninety  Indians came with five dressed venison on poles and 12 dressed turkeys  along with berry pies, fish, fowl and vegetables.  They had three  wonderful days of feasting and celebration, with foot races, wrestling,  archery contests ... [and] a prayer of thanksgiving to God. The event  became a tradition each year.  In 1622, Squanto became ill with Indian  fever, Bradford recounted in his writings, and died within a few days.   He desired “the Governor to pray for him, that he might go to the  Englishmen’s God in Heaven.”   “Here was this Native American who  understood English fluently, he understood English customs and ways, he  ate English foods, and he reportedly became committed to the same Christ  that they were. He was the right man, at the right place, at the right  time.  Only God can do that! 

 That cuts.  Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and  sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder  of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of  the thoughts and intents of the heart.  Some people trying to get into  their Heaven slash unbelievers with a knife. Many radical Moslems  believe 72 brown eyed virgins are waiting for them if they die as a  martyr killing us infidels.  You never know when one of these religious  fanatics may select you as a target.  I am thankful for our American  Second Amendment right to bear arms.  Jesus said a strong man must be  bound before he lets the bad guy rob his house. Matthew 12:29 Or else  how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except  he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house. Most of  us would defend our family and home instead of allowing ourselves to be  bound. So if someone wanted to cut you it would be natural to flee or  defend yourself.  We would run from a person intending to cut us.   Unless. Unless we wanted that person to cut us.  I had a gall bladder  that was out of fellowship with the rest of my body.  I signed a legal  document giving a doctor permission to cut me.  I am glad I did.  So  there are some times when it is good to be cut.  Now pertaining to the  Bible...the Bible is sharp and piercing.  We read the Bible.  The Bible  reads us.  It is the living Word of God.  When we read it or hear it  being taught we can expect to be cut.  We all need to be cut because we  have all gone astray.  Isaiah 53:6  All we like sheep have gone astray;  we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him  the iniquity of us all. Therefore the Lord wants us to turn to Him since  He has paid the penalty for our sins.  In order to show us we need to  be saved the Bible cuts us.  How do you respond when God cuts you?  Do  you bow before Him in repentance and plead for mercy?  Or do you flee?   No wonder some people don't go to a Bible teaching church.  They don't  like to be cut and are not willing to turn from their evil ways and ask  the Lord to save them.  Do you run to the Great Physician and ask Him to  give you a new heart?  Or do you run from Him and chance eternal  judgment? 

 That we may die with Him.  Jesus intentionally ignored the request to  visit his dying friend Lazarus. Two days later Jesus told His disciples  they were going to Lazarus’ home at Bethany and that Lazarus was dead.   His disciples thought Jesus stayed away because many of the Jews wanted  to kill Him.  Going to Bethany didn’t make sense.  I appreciate what the  disciple Thomas said:  John 11:16  Then said Thomas, which is called  Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with  him. Thomas fully expected a deadly confrontation with the Jews.  He was  willing to defend His Lord in battle even if it meant his death.  The  Bible tells us that when Jesus got to Bethany Lazarus had been dead four  days.  When Jesus told them to open the grave Martha, one of Lazarus’s  sisters, explained that that was a bad idea because by then his body  stank.  His body was decomposing, eating itself and smelling of rotten  meat.  Never the less at Jesus’ command they opened the grave and Jesus  commanded the dead man to come out.  He did.  This miracle caused many  to believe that Jesus was truly the Son of God...which indeed He is.  I  want to focus first on Thomas.  He was willing to die defending Jesus.   Are you willing to die serving Jesus?  The death of Christians happens  frequently in other parts of the world and will be common in America  when the Antichrist becomes world ruler.  Will you deny Jesus or die  serving Him?  Also note that Thomas was an encourager.  We need  encouragers.  Share your faith.  Share your courage.  Our whole world  was affected by Covid-19 and other fears.  Encourage others to put Jesus  first and follow Him instead of living in fear. Be a bold example. Then  second please remember that you and I are to die daily for Jesus. 1  Corinthians 15:31 I die daily. As we become more alive in Jesus the  pleasures and cares of this world become less important. Paul tells us:  Galatians 2:20   I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet  not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the  flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave  himself for me.  Jesus gave His life to ransom us from the slavery of  sin.  Are you willing to give your life serving Him? 

 The Death of Asahel.   2 Samuel 2:22-23  And Abner said again to Asahel,  Turn thee aside from following me: wherefore should I smite thee to the  ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother? 23   Howbeit he refused to turn aside: wherefore Abner with the hinder end  of the spear smote him under the fifth rib, that the spear came out  behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place: and it  came to pass, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down  and died stood still.   After the death of King Saul two kings emerged  to take his place.  David over Judah and Ishbosheth, a son of Saul, over  the rest of Israel.  Abner was the general of Ishbosheth's army.   Asahel was brother to General Joab commander of David's army.  After a  battle Abner was running for his life with Asahel following close behind  to kill him.  When Asahel refused to listen to a warning from Abner to  turn aside Abner apparently stopped and swung his spear backwards  allowing Asahel to run into the back end of the spear. The spear went  all the way through him killing him on the spot.  Asahel was determined  to kill the enemy general.  He was given fair warning but he refused to  stop.  This younger man could catch the older general and become an  instant hero.  Instead he went to an early grave.  Many of us today find  ourselves chasing a dream.  A goal that seems attainable.  The Lord has  a plan for our lives.  Sometimes He warns us we are going in the wrong  direction.  If we ignore His warning we may end up in an early grave.   Or we may obtain our goal but lose our family or our health in the  process.  There are some things we chase that are bad for us if we get  them.  Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean  not unto thine own understanding.  6  In all thy ways acknowledge him,  and he shall direct thy paths.  If you will seek to know Jesus...He will  reveal Himself to you and you too can live the Christian adventure. 

 The Dome of the Spirits.  Atop the 36 acres of the temple mount in  Jerusalem is a dome called The Dome of the Spirits.  It's to the north  and west of the Moslem shrine, the Dome of the Rock which was built over  the ground believed to be the site of Solomon's temple. The Dome of the  Rock was built to stop the Jews from rebuilding their temple.  Moslems  still control the temple mount.  Many Jews believe their Messiah is  coming soon.  It is possible the actual temple site is where the Dome of  the Spirit is.  If so there is plenty of room on the site to build the  third temple.  We are told that when the High Priest watched the  sacrifice of the red heifer, (Numbers 19) he would stand at the temple  and look across the Eastern Gate and across the Kidron Valley to the  Mount of Olives where the sacrifice took place.  From the Dome of the  Spirits there is a clear line of sight to the Mount of Olives that goes  directly over the Eastern Gate which was walled up over a thousand years  ago by the Moslems because the Jewish Messiah is prophesied to walk  through it. Ezekiel 44:1-3 Then he brought me back the way of the gate  of the outward sanctuary which looketh toward the east; and it was shut.  2  Then said the LORD unto me; This gate shall be shut, it shall not be  opened, and no man shall enter in by it; because the LORD, the God of  Israel, hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut. 3  It is for  the prince; the prince, he shall sit in it to eat bread before the LORD;  he shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate, and shall go out  by the way of the same. To be certain the Jewish Messiah could not come  through the gate a Moslem cemetery was put outside it.  No Jew would  step on an Arab grave. Is this the actual location of the original  eastern gate? In 1969 James Fleming was exploring above the crypts  outside the gate.  Rain had loosened the stones and he fell about 8 feet  into a crypt.   There he photographed 5 wedge shaped stones neatly set  in a massive arch buried for centuries under the existing Eastern gate.   Moslems immediately fenced and cemented the area to stop excavation.   The Dome of the Rock is south of the Eastern gate. The Dome of the  Spirits lines up with it.  In our life time we are seeing exciting  things.  Jesus is coming again!  Are you ready? By the way Jesus walked  on the water.  An Arab cemetery won't stop Him. 

 The Wasp attack.  The mower ran over an underground wasps nest.   Fortunately my body did not have an allergic reaction to the multiple  stings I got.  I mowed the rest of the yard avoiding that area where  they lived.  I would come back later with a can of wasp spray and and  take care of business. I can’t really be angry with the wasps.  I was  invading their homeland.  God gave them the ability to defend  themselves.  There were homesteading on land without the owners  permission.  Of course there was no way these squatters could get  permission so they just did what came natural.  Even their young are  part of the army as soon as they can use their weapon.  The United  States has an all volunteer military.  How thankful I am for those who  volunteer to defend us.  It is sad to see thousands discharged because  they will not take a jab.  On the Spiritual side of fighting the enemy  the Bible teaches us much.  1. Our enemy is real. Zechariah 3:1 And he  shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD,  and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. Satan is very  pleased that many “educated” people don’t even believe he exists. 2.  Jesus was tempted by Satan. Matthew 4:5  Then the devil taketh him up  into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, 6 And  saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is  written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their  hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot  against a stone. 3. Satan is vicious.  1 Peter 5:8  Be sober, be  vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh  about, seeking whom he may devour: 4. We cannot conquer Satan in our own  power. Jude 1:9  Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the  devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a  railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.  5. Christian put  on the armor of God so you can stand. Ephesians 6:11-12 Put on the whole  armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the  devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against  principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of  this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Still don’t  believe in a literal devil we call Satan?  How pleased he must be. We  have all been stung by sin.  We all must die.  Praise God when we put  our faith in Jesus the sting of death is removed. 1 Corinthians 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? Be faithful my friend, it will be worth it all when we see Jesus 

 They didn’t want me to preach his funeral.  Over the decades I have had  several church members who left this world whose family didn’t want me  to preach their funeral. This was usually because the deceased had hard  feelings towards me. We did not see eye to eye.  It certainly will be  wonderful in Heaven where there will be no contention or hurt feelings.  In the meantime, disagreements are a fact of life. I ask WWJD?  What  would Jesus do?  Many people did not see eye to eye with Jesus.  John  6:66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more  with him. It must have been disappointing to have people follow Him no  more. We don’t know who will turn against us. Now please understand  Jesus never sinned.  He never said or did anything wrong.  He was  offensive but He was not damaged goods as I am. Only God knows how  irreverent I am. I am sure some of the people over the years who  disliked me had good cause. How should I respond as a pastor of a church  member who leaves this world and his family doesn’t want me to preach  their funeral?  I should respond in love.  The funeral is for the  living.  I want them to be comforted and give their burdens and hearts  to the Lord. Ecclesiastes 7:2  It is better to go to the house of  mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of  all men; and the living will lay it to his heart. We need to realize it  is not about us.  It is about Jesus.  Offenses are sure to come.  Luke  17:1 Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences  will come;  We must do our part to make right any wrong we have done.  James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another  When wrong we need to  admit we are wrong and try to make restitution.  Then we must leave it  with the Lord.  On the other hand if we are wronged, we must forgive  even if the other person makes no attempt to reconcile.  Matthew 6:14   For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also  forgive you: 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will  your Father forgive your trespasses. If we want to live in sweet  fellowship with Jesus we must forgive others and try to reconcile our  differences.  We should evaluate every disagreement.  There is probably  something we can learn from that evaluation.  Learn from the past, don’t  live in it.  Be kind to others even when they are not kind to you.   Pattern your life after Jesus. Enjoy the Christian adventure.   

 Whole lot of shaking going on. Jesus said John 14:27 Peace I leave with  you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. The word  “peace” in the New Testament Greek is eirene.  It means  prosperity  :quietness, rest, + set at one again. Think about set at one again.  Consider a set of cymbals in a band.  When they clang they are heard  even above all the other instruments.  Clang, Clang, Clang. Their  vibrations are far from being set at one again.  Sometimes I wish we had  a praise band with cymbals. I could signal him on cue to smash the  cymbals to wake up the sleepers. I could pay him $5.00 after church.  To  set at one again.  Our world is all shook up.  There is a whole lot of  shaking going on. Satan is doing a great job of robbing us of peace.   Jesus did not come to bring peace to the world.  Matthew 10:34 Think not  that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a  sword.  Jesus is the great divider.  The rejection of Christ by the Jews  brought their downfall in the year A.D. 70 when the Romans conquered  them with their swords.  However, Jesus does bring peace to His  followers.   John 16:33 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.  There is victory in Jesus. The  world offers tribulation. We are divided on abortion, taking the jab,  drilling for oil, honest elections, packing the supreme court,  eliminating the filibuster, teachers carrying guns in school, gambling,  legalizing marijuana, gun control, securing our border, teaching sex  education to our young children, same sex marriage, the definition of a  woman, removing Aunt Jemiah from pancake syrup and the Indian from our  butter, proclaim black lives matter more other lives, pay reparations  for something that happened before we were born,  let rioters and looters go without judgment, defund the police,  discharge dishonorably thousands from our volunteer military because  they refuse the jab,  call boys girls and girls boys, let boys shower in  the girls locker room and compete against them in sports, butcher  unborn babies, not be allowed to pray on a school football field, lie on  the witness stand and not be punished, give our enemy billions of  dollars worth of hi-tech military equipment because of incompetence,   call evil good and good evil, teach evolution as factual  and much  more. Satan must be so pleased.  A whole lot of shaking going on.  But  Jesus gives believers peace. Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by  faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: Have you  been justified by faith by asking Jesus to forgive you and make you a  new person?  One last point.  The Prince of Peace will defeat Satan.  Romans 16:20 And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet  shortly. Let the grace of God give you wonderful peace even in the midst  of trying times.  Be at one in Jesus.  Rest.  Mark 5:36 Be not afraid, only believe.