One Truth

I’ve met many people who have said about themselves, “I’m a very spiritual person but I’m not religious at all.” I suppose these people might believe me to be a very “religious” person; being that I am a minister who spends much of my free time ministering via the internet, constructing weekly ministry newsletters and attending twice-weekly Bible Study. But I truly do not consider myself to be a “religious” person at all, BUT, that is only because of the connotation it gives when I think of the word and how others perceive a religious person. When someone says the word “religious”, for me and for many others, what automatically pops to mind are visions of those extremes that exist in modern society. Like people who speak in tongues, make pilgrimages to shrines or the “Church Lady” from Saturday Night Live.

Being newly single for the past nine months and living in a new city, I will often be asked by co-workers and acquaintances that I meet and become friendly with, “What church do you go to?” When I reply that I don’t belong to a church they immediately follow the question up with, “Oh, well you should come to my church. I bet you’d meet someone there!”

First of all, since when is church a pick-up joint?

Never mind, I digress.

I’ll be honest with you. The idea of attending any church makes me cringe inwardly and brings back childhood memories of dread because going to church once a week (and often times twice or more due to the fact I attended a parochial school) was not something I looked forward to. The thought of having to sit through an hour of the “Three R’s” - Repetition, Ritual and Routine - was my reasoning back then because my Schwinn bike with the blue flowered seat and warm clear day had more appeal. Not to mention that it was lacking in proper nutrition.

However, unlike when I was a child, my reasons are different know for not wanting to attend any church.

…Aside from the fact that the Light of Life Ministry is ordained by Yahweh and Christ and is not associated with any man-made organized religion, denomination (or non-denomination for that matter - in that isn’t a non-denomination still a denomination?) out there.

…Aside from the fact that the Light of Life Ministry is the ONLY ministry that shares the light of truth with mankind rather than the watered down versions of truth, mixed truths and falsehoods provided by other religions out there.

…Aside from these reasons I truly believe that the proper nutrition needed by each individual is provided directly by Yahweh to all who seek and who have learned how not to lean on their own understanding.

…And, aside from the fact that I really have no interest in dating right now as the life I lead is in devotion to the One to whom my life belongs.

I just simply believe that being a Christian means that Christ resides within you. And when he does, there’s no need.

I also believe that being a follower of Christ is not about Rituals, Repetition and Routine. It’s a learned lifestyle patterned after the life that Christ lead. It’s Obedience to Yahweh, Faith, Loyalty and Love. It’s cherishing The Way and Father Yahweh’s Commandments and Laws. It’s about your heart and a belief in Christ as Lord and Savior.

So…what am I then? Religious? Spiritual? A Christian?

Well, if you’re speaking of the word religious as defined by Webster’s as being scrupulously faithful and/or conscientious, then yes. I’m also religious. And, I’m also spiritual in that I am not of this world. I’m also a follower of Christ.

So I guess you could say that I’m all three.

And what does it mean? Well, it means that each day I do my very best to live a life patterned after Christ’s own life. In that aspect I am conscientious of my actions and how what I do, say or think may affect others or myself. I remain at all times, to the very best of my ability while living in this sinful world; faithful, loyal and obedient to Yahweh and Christ and do all that I can to do what would be pleasing in their eyes. I also recognize and fully admit that I am far from perfect. When I stumble, and I do daily, I pray to Father for forgiveness, who then picks me back up and dusts me off and lovingly allows me to continue on my way down the rocky, pit-filled narrow path back home to Her and Her son Christ Jesus.

What I have learned most is that it truly isn’t about whether you’re Spiritual, or Religious, what church you belong to or even whether you attend a church at all, but instead it’s a process of learning and growing closer to Father and Christ in how you lead your daily life.

In the meantime, I prefer to refer to myself as a servant of Yahweh, follower of Christ and fellow good-for-nothing slave to my brothers and sisters of Father’s Holy Family.

In a word where truth has been twisted and turned and the Scriptures have been mistranslated and people have been misled – searching for the truth is like searching for a needle in a haystack. But it IS there!

Our ministry works diligently to share the truth we have been enlightened with, with all who will listen with an open heart. We diligently seek to reach those who are still searching or who are lost and needing to find their way back home.

One of my current favorite songs is by a band named Leeland, titled “Tears of Saints” because it speaks so clearly of the situation we find ourselves in today. In part it goes like this:

There are schools full of hatred
Even churches have forsaken
Love and mercy
May we see this generation
In its state of desperation
For Your glory

This is an emergency!

There are tears from the saints
For the lost and unsaved
We’re crying for them come back home
We’re crying for them come back home
And all your children will stretch out their hands
And pick up the crippled man
Father, we will lead them home
Father, we will lead them home

This truly is an emergency, because there is not much time left. We currently find ourselves in the midst of the Tribulation. The media is full of reports of trouble all over the world. And yet so many are still blind to what is going on around them.

What is important for us all to remember is that truth is a double edged sword in that it is not all about Father’s love for us, or our love for Father. It is also about declaring Christ as our Lord and Savior and remaining obedient and faithful. Father’s love is what prompted the warnings we have all received in regards to Her coming wrath. But Father’s love is not what will save us.

I’ve written before about the Shepherds that have become household names that preach love and prosperity and leave out Father’s wrath and coming judgment. I believe that this does an injustice to their congregations, leading them to believe that love is all you need to attain eternal life when that is not so. I’ve also written before about remaining faithful and completely surrendering yourself to Father’s will, placing you love for Father above all else. I’ve written about the lies that Satan has fostered and the importance of prayer and meditation. I’ve shared insight as to the inner workings of the Spirit Realm and the Spiritual War that rages around us.

Together, the ministers of our ministry and I have all shared the importance of Accepting Rebuke and Counsel, Humility, Forgiveness, Patience, Endurance, and standing steadfast in the face of opposition. In our Kingdom Message of Salvation we have shared what is required for Salvation - all these things are so very important in relation to what is to come.

If you’re searching for truth I implore you – read what we have to say with an open heart. In prayer, seek Father’s Holy Spirit to help you to understand and do not lean on your own understanding, or the understanding of Shepherds that preach love and prosperity only.

When the world begins to realize what is in fact happening, and that the very things that we have warned about have come into fruition and that the wrath and judgment has come upon us, we pray that you remember what we have shared with you and accept these truths into your heart.

Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength. Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics of the Devil. For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. This is why you must take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. Stand, therefore,
with truth like a belt around your waist,
righteousness like armor on your chest,
and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace.
In every situation take the shield of faith,
and with it you will be able to extinguish
the flaming arrows of the evil one.
Take the helmet of salvation,
and the sword of the Spirit, which is God's word.
With every prayer and request, pray at all times in the Spirit, and stay alert in this, with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints. Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel. For this I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I might be bold enough in Him to speak as I should.

Probably one of the most controversial topics argued about amongst Christians and non-Christians alike, is whether or not the world was created in 7 actual 24-hour days. What might actually top that argument, is whether or not Armageddon will actually occur.

For the most part, those who are warned of the coming wrath, but that don’t believe that Armageddon will actually occur, respond by saying, “People have been saying it’s the end of the world for 2,000 years, and it hasn’t happened yet!”

Let’s take a look at this using the Scriptures.

Psalm 75:2 "When I choose a time, I will judge fairly.”

I love this scripture, because it asks us to recognize that Yahweh is the keeper of time, not us. It says when I choose a time. Yahweh does all things in Her own time. She is consistent and has never at a single point in all of history not come through with something She said She would do.

The following scripture goes in to more detail:

Ecclesiastes 3
The Mystery of Time
There is an occasion for everything,
and a time for every activity under heaven:
a time to give birth and a time to die;
a time to plant and a time to uproot;
a time to kill and a time to heal;
a time to tear down and a time to build;
a time to weep and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn and a time to dance;
a time to throw stones and a time to gather stones;
a time to embrace and a time to avoid embracing;
a time to search and a time to count as lost;
a time to keep and a time to throw away;
a time to tear and a time to sew;
a time to be silent and a time to speak;
a time to love and a time to hate;
a time for war and a time for peace.
What does the worker gain from his struggles? I have seen the task that God has given people to keep them occupied. He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also put eternity in their hearts, but man cannot discover the work God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and enjoy the good life. It is also the gift of God whenever anyone eats, drinks, and enjoys all his efforts. I know that all God does will last forever; there is no adding to it or taking from it. God works so that people will be in awe of Him. Whatever is, has already been, and whatever will be, already is. God repeats what has passed.

While this scripture is full of nutrition, there are two things I’d like to point out. One, “He has made everything appropriate in its time”. We are warned over and over again in the scriptures of Yahweh’s wrath. In fact, the word wrath is mentioned 164 times in the scriptures. For anyone to say that we have not been warned, or that Yahweh does not have a wrathful side, is purely blindness on their part.

Psalm 90:11 “Who understands the power of Your anger? Your wrath matches the fear that is due You.”

Yahweh has stored Her anger for a very long time with ultimate and perfect patience. And, just as Yahweh has said that She will display Her anger, She has also promised that once it is over she will no longer be angry. Yahweh has done this, so that we may see that following anyone else’s ways aside from Hers, specifically Satan’s, simply does not work.

Ezekiel 16:42 “So I will satisfy My wrath against you, and My jealousy will turn away from you. Then I will be silent and no longer angry.”

And the second portion of the Ecclesiastes verses that I’d like to point out is, “God repeats what has passed.” This can be specifically seen in the stories told in the scriptures. The books of Revelation or Daniel aren’t the only places where one can read about the coming wrath. As an example, the Great Flood, Sodom and Gomorrah and the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt are all telling the story of a judgment period and wrath that came upon large groups of mankind. They, and others, are all indicative of how Yahweh repeats what has passed.

So, to sum up this little article, everything happens in Yahweh’s own timing. Yahweh’s timing is without fault, as She knows the beginning from the end. What She has said will happen in the future has been shown to us in the past. And, because She is a loving God She has warned us in many ways but primarily through the Scriptures. She has shared volumes of guidance and given ample warnings. To assume that because it’s taken longer than we, as mere humans, have expected for Her wrath to be poured out, does not mean it will not happen. It will simply happen in Her. Own. Time.