Linny

Frankly, after seeing the ad this week for the new American coinage which completely leaves "In GOD We Trust" off, I'm so upset, there is little I can say that isn't already obvious in response to today's questions. In *any* situation, when we take GOD out of it, we've nothing left but hopelessness and diaster! Not only are our leaders going to be made to answer for this --- if not in this life, then when they stand before Almighty GOD (for it is their responsibility to do us all *good* and not harm) --- but they will have caused a great lowering of GOD's protection over this nation in direct correlation to the amount of secularism and total disregard for GOD that our people exhibit. May GOD have mercy on our souls!!!

Unlike earthly rulers, the name "Yahweh," to me, means absolute ruler. Since our entire American history is based on people demanding and taking their freedom from any such rule, especially rule over our personal lives, I think that it is extremely difficult for Americans to even grasp this concept of an absolute ruler who is interested and invested in every area of our lives! Therefore, I suppose it is no wonder that there has been, not only a breakdown of respect for the authority parents have/should have over their children, but also a general lack of respect of, worshipful awe of, and obedience to GOD. It's one of those chicken or egg quandaries as to which relationship broke down first in this country, but I imagine it was adults' lack of obedience to Almighty GOD that first lead to the breakdown or at least tarnishing of every other relationship we now have: not only person to person, but to our environment, to the other creatures we share this world with, and a lack of discipline and respect for our own selves. If obesity, for instance, is truly the leading health concern in this country, is it any wonder that so many other things are going wrong (either from abuse or neglect) in this world, when we don't even care enough about ourselves to keep our our own bodies healthy?!! And if "the fear of GOD is the beginning of wisdom," (Proverbs 9:10-12) then we're fast becoming a nation of idiots! But, please, don't misunderstand me! I'm preaching this little sermon to a congregation of one: myself! I've had quite an epiphany since our faithful and merciful Lord healed me of MS and woke me from a coma. A lifetime of what I thought was exemplary Christian behavior and service, when compared to biblical standards turns out to be worth less than filthy rags. And I'm not trying to be dramatic here; I'm saying the Lord opened my eyes and let me take a look at my delusional "good life" and, quite frankly, it was *crap*! I don't know how to say it any plainer than that. The wonder of it all, however, is that He didn't let me get a clear glimpse in the mirror to scorn me, abuse me, nor deride me, but rather out of total love and concern for me, to disabuse me of my false ideals of self. To be more frank, He let me realize that my life really doesn't have anything to do with *self* at all, except as a measurement of my personal relationship with JESUS Christ. Put in simplest terms, that relationship should be a continual shift of less of me and more of Him. Yet with every act of self-will, every commission of disobedience, or omission of love, service, and/or worship, I make a liar out of the Author of the Bible and render my Christian witness a confusing, worthless sham. "I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ liveth in me," so the song goes, taken from Galations 2:20. That is what subjugation and submission to GOD means to me. If I'm dead, (and as a matter of fact I have been physically dead before so I have a more unique perseptive on this than most people), then why should I care what the world thinks of me? Why do I even compare myself to anyone else? If I'm dead, and don't even have ownership of myself (First Corinthians 6:20; 7:23), then why should I focus on anything or anyone else except He Who has bought me: my Owner, Lover, Lord, and King! I have been paid for body and soul; therefore I should try my best to totally convert myself into the image of He Who now has sealed me to Himself. (John 6:29; Second Corinthians 2:20-22; Ephesians 1:3-14; 4:30)

[/color] Until I did this study, I had no idea how all-encompassing the meaning of the Scripture, "...You are not your own..." (First Corinthians 6:19) really was! When I have read studies on tithing before, they've always told me I should tithe.. and the types of tithes, but no one, until Pastor Ralph, has ever told me *why* I should tithe. I should tithe because I belong to Someone else. All that I am and all that I have --- everything, from my person, to my environment, to the air I breath, belongs NOT to me, but to GOD. And He has laid down very clearly in the Scriptures we've studied here and elsewhere how much that tithe is to be: 10%. In the OT, tithing was a public statement of faith, of belief of and obedience to the Lord GOD Almighty. In the NT, the concept of tithing seems to be broadened, but the fact remains that it is *still* an act of faith, an act of obedience to GOD. And for those who would say that the OT and its laws have no part in the modern-day NT Christian's life, let me remind them that the Bible clearly states, "I AM the Lord. I do not change..." (Malachi 3:6) The same GOD of the OT is the exact same GOD of the New Covenant: "JESUS Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8) JESUS, Himself, when asked about tithing, said simply, "Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's and what is GOD's unto GOD." (Matthew 22:21; Mark 12:17; Luke 20:25) Finally, as I said before, I think tithing under the New Covenant is expanded to include our entire being and not just our money, which, therefore, opens up a vast array of opportunities and ways for us to render our tithe unto GOD. But stating that, made me think --- if that is so, then how about what modern Americans consider most valuable right now, our time. What is a tenth of a day? Answer: two hours and 40 minutes! Do I give the Lord almost three hours of my time, my undivided attention everyday? May GOD forgive me, I'm afraid I don't. But what if I did... what if I took Him up, so to speak, on His challenge, "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house. Test Me in this," says the Lord GOD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of Heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it." (Malachi 3:10) Wow, how much then would my life change and also those around me?! JESUS said that those who have eyes let them see and ears let them hear. I have seen; I have heard. Now it's up to me to decide, am I for GOD or against Him. I am His obedient and loving servant and precious child who owes everything to her Father, or am I a shameful, disobedient, wasteful, arrogant prodical daughter? In Deuteronomy 30:19-20, our Lord says, "See, I have set forth before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore, choose life...." I have been given free will by Almight GOD, Himself. Now is the time to choose whether or not I will act on this new (for me) revelation of the Lord. Let me answer with another Scripture: "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!"

There aren't enough words in any language to frame the awesomeness of our GOD, El-Elyon, the First and the Last of Everything, GOD Most High! I worship and adore Him --- not only because He is worthy of my allegiance, not only because He is all things righteous, holy, beautiful, loving, complete --- but I love Him because, beyond all reasoning, He loved me first! St. Michael, Prince of the Heavenly Hosts, has a name that asks the question with an exclamation: "What god is like our GOD!" There is none, for He, Alone, is GOD! Purely out of love, He reveals Himself to us. Purely out of love, He manifests Himself into the Holy Trinity; and as the shamrock has three distinct petals but is all one singular plant, so GOD Most High has put on the garment of JESUS Christ for us so that we may be saved from our sins and love, worship, and enjoy Him *personally* forever in a way our minds/hearts/souls may be able to comprehend. I could go on and on and on for this is one of my most favorite names of GOD. It is a tremendous comfort to me that the Supreme One --- Creator and Redeemer of everything --- GOD above all others and everything else --- that He *loves* me! He knows about me! He cares about me. He knows the number of hairs on my head and counts my every tear! I start to cry everytime I meditate on GOD under this Name because I wish I could worship Him and love Him and serve Him as He should be, and I repent of my weaknesses, distractions, and sins that keep me from being in a constant state of love and worship of, and service to such an awesome GOD as my GOD, El-Elyon.

*both men believed that He was/is the Supreme GOD above all other gods; *they believed He was/is the original god, therefore first and best; *they believed that He was/is the Creator of Heaven and Earth; *they believed that He controlled people's destinies and could prosper/bless them or deliver them into diaster according to His holy will