That’s what courage is all about.  You allow your character to control the actions, not your brain.”
              –Stephen Bly  (Throw the Devil Off the Train)

    “…Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge–by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith.  Grace be with you.  Amen.”
              –1 Timothy 6:20-21(NKJV)
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Many are scoffing, but let me tell you, God is not mocked.  I mentioned on Wednesday regarding the stand on abortion in this election, now I need to mention the concept of homosexuality and transgendering (if there really is such a thing).  These are an abomination to the Lord.  

         “But on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.”
                   –Luke 17:29 (NKJV)

The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were despicable living in lust and lewdness.  When you go back to read the account it is easy to see that they were well on their way to being reprobate.  The lusted after the angels and demanded that Lot turn them over to them.  How did Lot reply?  Take my daughters instead but leave these alone (Genesis 19:1-11).  Unbelieveable!
    Look at a few more Scriptures regarding Sodom:

          “And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked.”
                   –2 Peter 2:6-7 (NKJV)

          “As Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.”
                   –Jude 7 (NKJV)

Don’t be misled or beguiled by the deceivers with the smooth-talking sounds of their lips.  When they proclaim that is just another way to express love.  First of all, they do not know what they are talking about for God is love and He does not approve of anything contrary to His character and His Word.  Secondly, it borders on blasphemy.  Look at the analogy of Christ with His bride, the Church.  In all instances the Church is referred to in feminine form.  Truly that is one of the real reasons behind the push of ungody feminism.  Notice, there is a difference between ungodly feminine agendas and those of the Proverbs 31 woman.
    Cast your vote in this election with this in mind.  The liberal-left is seeking to control the minds of your children, not only that to own their soul.  People who call good–evil and call evil–good are an abomination.  God gives them over to a “debased mind” (Romans 1:28, other versions refer to it as a “reprobate mind”).  Paul goes on to list their evils, but I want you to catch the last phrase of verse 32, “those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them” (NKJV).  
    If the liberal-left win this election watch out–the gay agenda will run rampant.  In recent years there has been a softening of the stance against the gay agenda.  Do not be misled, the devil wants to destroy your children and grandchildren.  Paul states that you cannot even approve of them.  “Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge—” (1 Timothy 6:20, NKJV).

But he prayed for nothing except life, courage, cunning to meet all issues.”
              –Zane Grey  (The Lost Wagon Train)

       “So we may boldly say: ‘The LORD is my helper; I will not fear.  What can man do to me?'”
              –Hebrews 13:6 (NKJV)
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We know that it is “by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9, NKJV).  We also understand that “without faith it is impossible to please Him…” (Hebrews 11:6, NKJV).  So we see that faith is important in obtaining salvation and living for God.  
    However, there is that aspect of faith that we find in James:  “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also” (James 2:26, NKJV).  We are saved by grace through faith, and then we must use our faith to produce works.  I’ve borrowed some thoughts from Vine’s Expository Reference Edition Bible that I am going to use in reference to the faith that we should have.  I am just changing the format from paragraph to bullet.

         “Faith must work; it must produce; it must be visible…  It must inspire action…  James integrates true faith and everyday practical experience by stressing that true faith must manifest itself in works of faith.
             –Faith endures trials.  Trials come and go, but a strong faith will face them head-on and develop endurance.
             –Faith understands temptations.  It will not allow us to consent to our lust and slide into sin.
             –Faith obeys the Word.  It will not merely hear and not do.
             –Faith produces doers.
             –Faith harbors no prejudice…faith and favoritism cannot coexist.
             –Faith displays itself in works.
             –Faith is more than mere words; it is more than knowledge; it is demonstrated by obedience; and it overly responds to the promises of God.
             –Faith controls the tongue.  
             –Faith acts wisely.  It gives us the ability to choose wisdom that is heavenly and to shun wisdom that is earthly.
             –Faith produces separation from the world and submission to God.
             –Faith provides us with the ability to resist the Devil and humbly draw near to God.
             –Faith waits patiently for the coming of the Lord.  Through trouble and trial it stifles complaining.”

Should I dare ask if you have faith?  Remember, everyone is given a measure of faith.  As believers we are to use our faith; we are to grow and demonstrate our faith.
    To live by faith is not blind, for we know in Whom is our trust.  Living by faith is making choices in the light of God’s Word.  In fact, the best word to describe faith is that of being faithful.  Faithful obedience to God’s Word is a facet of faith.
    As we wait patiently for the return of the Lord, we must live a life of faith.  It might be good to read of those of Hebrews 11.  Read of men and women who lived a life of faith (i.e., Fanny Crosby, Smith Wigglesworth and others).  Money will not get you through the days ahead; career will not see you through the hard times–it is by faith that we live.

He recognized the feeling for what it was—the need within himself to protect and care for something beyond himself.  It was that, in part, that had led him into so many fights that were not his; and yet, was not the cause of human freedom and liberty every man’s trust?”
              –Louis L’Amour  (The Mountain Valley War)

    “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence!”
              –Matthew 23:25 (NLT)
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I have been doing my morning devotions from the Book of Matthew and am currently on the section where Jesus has made His final entry into Jerusalem.  The tone and message of His words have changed upon this occasion.  The verses from yesterday morning’s made me do some pondering.

         “Snakes! Sons of vipers! How will you escape the judgment of hell?

         “Therefore, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers of religious law. But you will kill some by crucifixion, and you will flog others with whips in your synagogues, chasing them from city to city. As a result, you will be held responsible for the murder of all godly people of all time—from the murder of righteous Abel to the murder of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you killed in the Temple between the sanctuary and the altar.  I tell you the truth, this judgment will fall on this very generation.”
                   –Matthew 23:33-36 (NLT)

    Do you depict harshness in the words of Jesus?  My mercy, He is telling them like it is and the Pharisees and other religious leaders don’t like it one bit.  In these verses, Jesus is pronouncing judgment.  I like what Alexander MacLaren has to say, “Let us remember that He who sees hearts had a right to tell harsh truths…  There is nothing so terrible as the anger of gentle compassion, and the fiercest and most destructive wrath is that of the Lamb.”
    From the beginning, God has graciously called people back to Him.  He had sent the prophets, He had given His word to the people, and yet/still they refused to listen, now to the very Son of God.  Look at His wording here, “Snakes…vipers!
There is poison oozing from them to deceive.  Here is Truth standing in front of them and they are writhing around seeking for a way to destroy the Truth.
    Judgment did come–in two forms.  First, the judgment of sin fell upon Christ to appease the character of a holy God, then also in 70 A.D. the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple came with the armies of Titus.  But stop, think, could this be one of those two-fold prophetic messages?  God is still sending out His message:  “Come to Me.”  He is speaking to men in the world today not wanting any to perish.  Yet…men of today are similar to those of old–they reject the message.
    MacLaren writes, “God goes on sending His prophets because we reject them; and the more deaf men are, the more does He peal His words into their ears.”  God speaks, God speaks, God continues to speak–there will be none who can say, “I didn’t know.”  I heard it said many years ago, and I have seen it born out:  “the Holy Spirit will either convict or enrage.”  When the Spirit speaks men will either be convicted and repent or they will harden their hearts as Pharaoh of old and hate God all the more.  Until the day when the cup of iniquity is full and God says, “That is enough!”
    My ears may be failing me some in my later years, but I think they are also more sensitive.  I sometimes I can hear the cry of the innocent unborn:  “when Lord, when?”  Besides the other major issues of this election, you tell me how can so-called Christians bide with a side that is seeking premeditated murder?  The blood of the innocent, will be on their hands, and the “anger of gentle compassion” is ready to burst upon the scene.

Life was sunshine and storm—youth and age.”
              –Zane Grey  (The Desert of Wheat)

    “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.”
              –1 John 5:12 (NKJV)
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It has been a while since we had our study in the Psalms.  Before vacation I left off at Psalm 48, and we are on the last portion of that Psalm.  What a powerful few words, especially for the time in which we live.  Right from the start the words jump out at us.

         “God, within Your temple, we contemplate Your faithful love.” (verse 9, HCSB)

One of the lost disciplines of the believer is that of meditation/contemplation.  People go to church (if their’s is open) and hop around some, sing some songs (hopefully they are truly worshipful), hear a short message mostly to appease the ears, then go home.  But LOOK!  We are to contemplate on His faithful love (other versions have “unfailing love”).  Now that takes some time and effort and concentration.  More than that, since we are the “temple of the Holy Spirit” we should be contemplating on his “faithful love.”  His grace, His mercy, His love are to be in our thoughts.  I like what H. Norman Pell says, “I praise God because he not only guides my directions but overrules my mistakes.”

         10 – “Your name, God, like Your praise, reaches to the ends of the earth; Your right hand is filled with justice.
         11 – Mount Zion is glad.  The towns of Judah rejoice because of Your judgments.”

We may be crying in our haste and in our own way of thinking wondering where is the justice of God.  Ah, but remember His ways are much higher than ours.  He holds justice and judgment in His hand.  The people around the old city of Jerusalem rejoice because of His justice.  It is coming, are you ready?

         12 – “Go around Zion, encircle it; count its towers,
         13 – note its ramparts; tour its citadels so that you can tell a future generation:
         14 – ‘This God, our God forever and ever—He will always lead us.’”

Being the “temple of the Holy Spirit” what is it that people see when they walk around us?  What do they see when they looks at us?  Does our appearance represent the holy God Almighty?  Oh, despite what some may claim, appearance does count, but it is not the main thing.  When we are with people what do they see in our character?  Are they confused because of what we proclaim, what we look like, and what we do?
    One of most important responsibilities and obligations is to represent the Lord in all we say and do.  It is imperative that we tell them, especially those of our family of the wondrous works of God.  We are to explain who He is, what He has done, how He has blest us.  We should speak of the way He has kept us, how He has healed us, how He has guided us.

         “For that is what God is like.  He is our God forever and ever, and he will be our guide until we die.” (verse 14, NLT)

    God is like that citadel.  He is our fortress, are we telling our children and grandchildren that?  Forever will that fortress stand unlike the ones made by human hands.  Oh, and look at the end, He will be there all the time until we die.  His mercies are new every morning!  

              “Let strangers walk around the city where we dwell;
               Compass and view thy holy ground, and mark the building well;
               The order of thy house, the worship of thy court,
               The cheerful songs, the solemn vows, and make a fair report.”
                        –Isaac Watts

Take some time to contemplate God’s unfailing love and the rest of Psalm 48 this week.