[[*---Don't Catch Me As I Fall---*]]

Friday, April 28, 2006

[[God]]

Once there was a man,
As lonely as could be,
He sat alone,
He slept alone,
Then thought came to he,
He needed land,
And water too,
Solid green,
and liquid blue,
He needed a ball,
With inner light,
It needed a name,
Sun sounded right,
He needed plants,
To give off shade,
he snapped his fingers,
and trees were made,
He needed creatures,
To amuse his day,
So animals were born,
on every cay,
But something wasn't right,
The notion wouldn't leave,
Then he thought of humans,
Known now as Adam and Eve

[[ Falling On ]]*|1:32 PM|

[[bk of truth 2]]

The law of the LORD is perfect,
Converting the soul.
The testimony of the LORD is sure,
Making wise the simple.
The statutes of the LORD are right,
Rejoicing the heart.
The commandment of the LORD is pure,
Enlightening the eyes.
The fear of the LORD is clean,
Enduring forever.
The judgments of the LORD are true
And righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold,
Yea, than much fine gold.
Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb!
Moreover by them Your servant is warned,
And in keeping them there is great reward.
Psalm 19.7-11

[[ Falling On ]]*|12:27 PM|

[[bk of truth 1]]

When I am tired, the Bible is my bed;
Or in the dark, the Bible is my light;
When I am hungry, it is my vital bread;
Or fearful, it is my armor for the fight.
If I am cold, The Bible is my fire;
My wings, when flying I desire.
Anonymous

We search the world for truth. We cull
The good, the true, the beautiful,
From graven stone, and written scroll,
And all old flower-fields of the soul;
And, weary-seekers of the best,
We come back laden from our quest,
To find that all the sages said
Is in the book our mothers read.
"The Bible" by John Greenleaf Whittier

[[ Falling On ]]*|12:26 PM|

[[IF GOD HAD VOICE MAIL]]

"Thank you for calling My Father's House. Please select one of the following options:

Press 1 for Requests
Press 2 for Thanksgivings
Press 3 for Complaints
Press 4 for All Other Inquiries.

I'm sorry, all of our angels are busy helping other sinners right now. However, your prayer is important to us, so please stay on the line and your prayer will be answered in the order it was received. If you would like to speak to:

God, Press 1
For Jesus, Press 2
For the Holy Spirit, Press 3
If you would like to hear King David sing a Psalm while you are holding, please press 4.
To find out if a loved one has been assigned to Heaven, Press 5, enter his or her Social Security number, and then press the pound key (if you get a negative response, please try extension 666).

For reservations at "My Father's House" please enter J-O-H-N followed by 3-1-6.

For answers to nagging questions about dinosaurs, the age of the earth and where Noah's Ark is, please wait until you arrive here.

If you need emergency assistance when this office is closed, you may contact your local pastor."

[[ Falling On ]]*|12:21 PM|

[[CHURCH SIGNS]]

"No God-No Peace. Know God-Know Peace."

"Free trip to heaven. Details Inside!"

"Try our Sundays. They are better than Baskin-Robbins' "

"Searching for a new look? Have your faith lifted here!"

"People are like tea bags -- you have to put them in hot water before you know how strong they are."

"When down in the mouth, remember Jonah. He came out all right."

"Fight truth decay-study the Bible daily."

"How will you spend eternity-Smoking or Nonsmoking?"

"Dusty Bibles lead to Dirty Lives"

"Come work for the Lord. The work is hard, the hours are long and the pay is low. But the retirement benefits are out of this world."

"It is unlikely there'll be a reduction in the wages of sin."

"If you're headed in the wrong direction, God allows U-turns."

"If you don't like the way you were born, try being born again."

"Looking at the way some people live, they ought to obtain eternal fire insurance soon."

"Forbidden fruit creates many jams."

"In the dark? Follow the Son."

"If you can't sleep, don't count sheep. Talk to the Shepherd."

"Jesus Is Coming"...Don't miss him for the world.

[[ Falling On ]]*|12:19 PM|

[[IN THE BEGINNING ( joke )]]

In the beginning God created the heavens and the Earth. And the Earth was without form, and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And Satan said, "It doesn't get any better than this."

And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. And God said, "Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit," and God saw that it was good.

And Satan said, "There goes the neighborhood."

And God said, "Let us make Man in our image, after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air and over the cattle, and over all the Earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the Earth."

And so God created Man in his own image; male and female he created them. And God looked upon Man and Woman and saw that they were lean and fit.

And Satan said, "I know how I can get back in this game."

And God populated the earth with broccoli and cauliflower and spinach, green and yellow vegetables of all kinds, so Man and Woman would live long and healthy lives.

And Satan created McDonald's. And McDonald's brought forth the 99-cent double cheeseburger. And Satan said to Man, "You want fries with that?"

And Man said, "Supersize them." And Man gained 5 pounds.

And God created the healthful yogurt, that woman might keep her figure that man found so fair.

And Satan brought forth chocolate. And Woman gained 5 pounds.

And God said, "Try my crispy fresh salad."

And Satan brought forth Ben and Jerry's. And Woman gained 10 pounds.

And God said, "I have sent thee heart-healthy vegetables and olive oil with which to cook them."

And Satan brought forth chicken-fried steak so big it needed its own platter. And Man gained 10 pounds and his bad cholesterol went through the roof.

And God brought forth running shoes and Man resolved to lose those extra pounds.

And Satan brought forth cable TV with remote control so Man would not have to toil to change channels between ESPN and ESPN2. And Man gained another 20 pounds.

And God said, "You're running up the score, Devil." And God brought forth the potato, a vegetable naturally low in fat and brimming with nutrition.

And Satan peeled off the healthful skin and sliced the starchy center into chips and deep-fat fried them. And he created sour cream dip also. And Man clutched his remote control and ate the potato chips swaddled in cholesterol. And Satan saw and said, "It is good." And Man went into cardiac arrest.

And God sighed and created quadruple bypass surgery.

And Satan created HMO's...........

[[ Falling On ]]*|12:10 PM|

[[The Pope, Billy Graham, and Oral Roberts]]

The Pope, Billy Graham, and Oral Roberts were in a three-way plane crash over the Atlantic Ocean. Tragically, they all died and went to the pearly gates together.

"Oh, this is terrible," exclaims St. Peter, "I know you guys think we summoned you here, but this is just one of those coincidences that happen. St. Peter was fretting, "Since we weren't expecting you, your quarters just aren't ready. We can't take you in just yet and we can't send you back."

Then he got an idea. He picked up the phone, "Lucifer, this is Pete. Hey, I got these three guys up here. They're ours, but we weren't expecting them, and we gotta fix the place up for 'em. I was hoping you could put them up for a while. It'll only be a couple of days. I'll owe you one."

Reluctantly, the Devil agreed.

BUT..... Two days later...

"Pete, this is Lucifer. Hey you gotta come get these three clowns. This Pope fellow is forgiving everybody, the Graham guy is saving everybody, and that Oral Roberts has raised enough money to buy air conditioning."

[[ Falling On ]]*|11:42 AM|

[[Gardens For God]]

PLANT YOUR GARDENS...

It's time to plant our gardens. As you plant, may I suggest the following
rules for your garden planting:

PLANT three rows of squash:
1. Squash gossip
2. Squash criticism
3. Squash indifference

PLANT three rows of peas:
1. Purity
2. Patience
3. Perseverance

PLANT six rows of lettuce:
1. Let us be unselfish and loyal
2. Let us be faithful to duty
3. Let us search the scriptures
4. Let us not be weary in well-doing
5. Let us be obedient in all things
6. Let us Love one another

NO GARDEN is complete without turnips:
1. Turn up for church,prayer service, and Bible study
2. Turn up with a smile, even when things are difficult
3. Turn up with determination to do your best for God's cause.

After planting, may you "Grow in Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ". 2 Peter 3:18

[[ Falling On ]]*|11:18 AM|

[[DRUM BY A BARREL - A fisherman's point of view.]]

Cruising up the lake I drove
Beyond my normal fishing holes
Searching for that special one
to have a little splendid fun

When to my left I spot a scene
A quiet cove beyond all dreams
Turning sharply on the wheel
I throttle down and grab my reel

Flip the troller - speed at a crawl
Set to cast and drop my jaw!
NO FISHING Here Beyond This Rope
Read the sign nailed to a float

What rule is this that cramps my style
I've searched far and long - come many a mile
By who's authority to hold me back?
I felt my rights were under attack

I didn't know the owner's name
Some say he's crazy some say he's sane
Other declare he's long past gone
But all I knew this sign was wrong!

The lake was mine in all its glory
Still I thirst for more, so here's the story
I pushed the rope down with my oar
Drowning the sign I chose to ignore

Stealth like gliding I made my way
Toward some hickory trees in decay
Further in the air grew stale
The water dingy it had a smell

Focus now - this is your chance
If I can woo her I'll do my dance
There's my ticket - a sunken barrel
Tossed my spinner and gave it a whirl

When in a flash I felt a bump
Knew in a jiffy I was not skunked!
I felt a shimmer shoot up my spine
>From something tugging the end of my line

I have you now, you beautiful thing
It's what I came for - my voice in sing
I have to admit she put up a fight
But it was useless under my might.

To the spoils - reaching down to grab her
Lifting her high in triumphant gesture
Oh me! Oh my! What have I done?
It's not a bass, but a sleazy Old Drum!

Before I knew it she gave me the slip
Sliding behind me slapping my hip.
She flipped and flopped with no shame or regret
as she knocked over tackle and slimed up the deck

What in the world have you done to me?
Get out of here before someone sees!
For I am a bass man, a true one untold
A long standing member, a name to uphold

I lunged out at her with a snarl and a shout
But hooked my shoe on the lure she spit out
Losing my balance I fell like a tree
Landing in ooze skinning my knee

Lying beside her I smelled her stench breath
I started to gag, longing for death
Get out you - you boat wrecker! I said with a cry
As I squeezed her ungently around her soft sides

I flung her over, yet not soon enough
For she let out on me mustard like stuff
I lay there in horror feeling dirty inside
Not knowing to gun it or sink down and hide

How did this happen? Why to me?
Wiping my face on the end of my sleeve
That Stupid fish! I grimaced in pain
Then let out a chuckle knowing who was to blame

See, I'd ignored the sign, and broken the law
Thought it was decrepit, with one or two flaws
But that did not change the fact of its power
For had I obeyed I'd be fishing this hour

Now this was a warning from a No Fishing sign
Imagine leaving God's Commandments behind
Whether you treat it like an old artifact
Stuffed in a glass case or hid out back

The results for breaking will still be the same
For there's power in those words because of "His Name"
Alive and unchanging from beginning to end
He wrote them to guide us - they will not bend

There's a silver lining this poem will address
That our Lord is forgiving if we only confess
He gave his Son for the price of our sins
So we can have peace and life forever with Him

So as we dust off our rigs this spring
And add to our reels new store bought string
Let us remember this Easter Holiday
Christ passion for us on Good Friday

May your trips be frequent, your bass none too few
Your horses run strong, and your stories half true
Enjoy God's creation in all its majestic apparel
Oh! And stay away from the drum that lives by a barrel!

[[ Falling On ]]*|11:14 AM|

[[daddy, how much u make an hr?]]

With a timid voice and idolizing eyes, the little boy greeted his father as he returned from work, "Daddy, how much do you make an hour?"

Greatly surprised, but giving his boy a glaring look, the father said: "Look, son, not even your mother knows that. Don't bother me now, I'm tired."

"But Daddy, just tell me please!? How much do you make an hour," the boy insisted.

The father finally giving up replied: " Twenty dollars per hour."
"Okay, Daddy? Could you loan me ten dollars?" the boy asked.

Showing restlessness and positively disturbed, the father yelled:
"So that was the reason you asked how much I earn, right?? Go to sleep and don't bother me anymore!"

It was already dark and the father was meditating on what he had said and was feeling guilty. Maybe he thought, his son wanted to buy something.

Finally, trying to ease his mind, the father went to his son's room.
"Are you asleep son?" asled the father.
"No, Daddy. Why?" replied the boy partially asleep.
"Here's the money you asked for earlier," the father said.

"Thanks, Daddy!" rejoiced the son, while putting his hand under his pillow and removing some money.

"Now I have enough! Now I have twenty dollars!" the boy said to his father, who was gazing at his son, confused at what his son just said. "Daddy could you sell me one hour of your time?"

___________________________________________________
Time is too precious to spend it all on work!
Appreciate your love ones and don't take them for granted...

[[ Falling On ]]*|11:10 AM|

[[Born Again Monster]]

There once lived a vampire the legends say,
who couldn't stand blood in any way.
While others hunted and killed for delight,
this monster would hide, for fear of the night.

And when others drank from throats and fled,
this strange one kissed their necks instead.
And when the victims screamed their fears,
he'd talk to them, and dry their tears.

When monsters roam the streets at night,
this beastly thing would sit and write.
Stories and poems of love and pain,
written to those who have been slain.

Now no one knows why he did such things,
but legends say God gave him wings.
And to this day the legends state,
he stands outside, of Heaven's Gate.

So when you die and see him there,
go talk to him if you dare.
He'll kiss your cheek, and dry your tears
and wipe away, all your fears

Even a monster who is born to fright,
can turn to God, and do what's right.
Even a man who is born to sin,
can turn to God, and be BORN AGAIN.

[[ Falling On ]]*|10:43 AM|

Thursday, April 27, 2006

[[if God had a PC]]

In the beginning, there was the computer. And God entered:
C:\Let there be light!
Enter user ID
C:\God
Enter password
C:\Omniscient
Invalid password
Enter password
C:\Omnipotent
And God logged on at 12:01:00 AM, Sunday, March 1.
C:\Let there be light!
Unrecognizable command
C:\Create light
Done
C:\Run heaven and earth
And God created Day and Night.
And God saw that there were 0 errors.
And God logged off at 12:02:00 AM, Sunday, March 1.

And God logged on at 12:01:00 AM, Monday, March 2.
C:\Let there be firmament in the midst of water and light
Unrecognizable command. Try again.
C:\Create firmament
Done.
C:\Run firmament
And God divided the waters. And God saw that there were 0 errors.
And God logged off at 12:02:00 AM, Monday, March 2.

And God logged on at 12:01:00 AM, Tuesday, March 3.
C:\Let the waters under heaven be gathered together unto one place
and let the dry land appear and...
Too many characters in specification string. Try again.
C:\Create dry_land
Done.
C:\Run firmament
And God divided the waters. And God saw that there were 0 errors.
And God logged off at 12:02:00 AM, Tuesday, March 3.

And God logged on at 12:01:00 AM, Wednesday, March 4.
C:\Create lights in the firmament to divide the day from the night
Unspecified type. Try again.
C:\Create sun_moon_stars
Done
C:\Run sun_moon_stars
And God separated the light from the darkness. The sun ruled over the
day and the moon and stars ruled over the night. And God saw there were 0 errors.
And God logged off at 12:02:00 AM, Wednesday, March 4.

And God logged on at 12:01:00 AM, Thursday, March 5.
C:\Create fish
Done
C:\Create fowl
Done
C:\Run fish, fowl
And God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that
creepeth where with the waters swarmed after its kind and every winged
fowl after its kind. And God saw there were 0 errors. And God logged
off at 12:02:00 AM, Thursday, March 5.

And God logged on at 12:01:00 AM, Friday, March 6.
C:\Create cattle
Done
C:\Create creepy_things
Done
C:\Now let us make man in our image
Unspecified type. Try again.
C:\Create man
Done
C:\Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it
and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the
air and over every living thing that creepeth upon the earth
Too many command operands. Try again.
C:\Run multiplication
Execution terminated. 6 errors.
C:\Insert breath
Done
C:\Run multiplication
Execution terminated. 5 errors.
C:\Move man to Garden of Eden
Filename: Garden of Eden does not exist.
Abort, Retry, Ignore?
C:\Create Garden_of_Eden
Too many parameters
C:\Create Garden.edn
Done
C:\Move man to Garden.edn
Done
C:\Run multiplication
Execution terminated. 4 errors.
C:\Copy woman from man
Done
C:\Run multiplication
Execution terminated. 2 errors.
C:\Create desire
Done
C:\Run multiplication
And God saw man and woman being fruitful and multiplying in Garden.edn
Warning: No time limit on this run. 1 errors.
C:\Create freewill
Done
C:\Run freewill
And God saw man and woman being fruitful and multiplying in Garden.edn
Warning: No time limit on this run. 1 errors.
C:\Undo desire
Desire cannot be undone once freewill is created.
C:\Destroy freewill
Freewill is an inaccessible file and cannot be destroyed. Enter
replacement, cancel, or ask for help.
C:\Help
Desire cannot be undone once freewill is created. Freewill is an
inaccessible file and cannot be destroyed. Enter replacement, cancel,
or ask for help.
C:\Create tree_of_knowledge
And God saw man and woman being fruitful and multiplying in Garden.edn
Warning: No time limit on this run. 1 errors.
C:\Create good, evil
Done
C:\Activate evil
And God saw he had created shame.
Warning system error in sector E95. Man and woman no longer located in
Garden.edn. 1 errors.
C:\Scan Garden.edn for man, woman
Search failed.
Abort, Retry, Ignore?
C:\Delete shame
Shame cannot be deleted once evil has been activated.
C:\Destroy freewill
Freewill is an inaccessible file and cannot be destroyed. Enter
replacement, cancel, or ask for help.
C:\Stop
Unrecognizable command. Try again
C:\Ctrl_Break
C:\Ctrl_Break
C:\Ctrl_Break
=

ATTENTION ALL USERS *** ATTENTION ALL USERS:
COMPUTER GOING DOWN FOR REGULAR DAY OF MAINTENANCE AND REST IN FIVE
MINUTES. PLEASE LOG OFF.
C:\Create new world
You have exceeded allocated file space. You must destroy old files
before new ones can be created.
C:\Destroy earth
Destroy earth: Please confirm.
C:\Destroy earth confirmed
COMPUTER DOWN *** COMPUTER DOWN.
SERVICE WILL RESUME SUNDAY, MARCH 8 AT 6:00 AM. YOU MUST SIGN OFF
NOW.
And God logged off at 11:59:59 PM, Friday, March 6.
On Saturday, March 7, God rested.
On March 8, God created Macintosh

[[ Falling On ]]*|3:11 PM|

[[Does God exist]]

There were two roommates in college, one a believer and one not. One day they were discussing the validity of God. The believer said to the non-believer, give me five good reasons why God does not exist and we will go from there. The nonbeliever thought for a while and finally came up with his five reasons. He said to the believer, "can you see God?"

"No," said the believer.

"Can you smell God?"

"Not really," said the believer.

"Can you touch God?"

"No," said the believer.

"What about taste?"

"No," said the believer.

"Well can you hear God?".

"Well, ya I can hear God, in the wind and stuff".

"Well," said the nonbeliever, "four out five, God does not exist."

The believer thought and asked for a while to think about it. Finally he came back and said to his friend, "Okay. Can you touch your brain?"

"No."

"Can you see your brain?"

"Nope."

"Can you smell your brain?"

"No."

"What about hear it?"

"I guess not," replied the nonbeliever

"Then can you taste your brain?"

"No."

"Well then," said the believer, "I guess it is pretty obvious. Five out five, you have no brain."

[[ Falling On ]]*|3:06 PM|

[[Fears That Keep Us From His Presence]]

Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. So He got into the boat and left. - Luke 8:37

Jesus did many miracles when He lived on earth. One of those miracles involved the deliverance of a demon-possessed man. The people of the community witnessed this awesome demonstration of God's power when Jesus commanded the demon spirit to come out of the man and go into the herd of nearby pigs. The man was healed and sat at Jesus' feet.

You would expect the people who witnessed this to embrace Jesus as one performing good deeds and to honor Him. The opposite was true. Instead, they were overcome with fear. Why? Many of us respond the same way to Jesus when He does an out-of-the-ordinary act among His people. We are fearful because we have never personally experienced this before. So, we draw wrong judgments. The result is that Jesus removes Himself from us.

The Lord is able to do far exceeding above what we think. Jesus does not remain in the places where there is fear of His goodness. It is often subconscious fears that prevent us from going to a deeper level with Him. The people in Gerasenes could not benefit from Jesus' presence because of their fears.

Have you feared Jesus because of what He might require of you? Have you feared that He might ask of you something you are not prepared to give? Do not let your fears drive Him from your presence. His motive is always love for His children. You can trust Him.

[[ Falling On ]]*|3:04 PM|

[[Sweating Outcomes]]

In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat - for He grants sleep to those He loves. - Psalm 127:2

Coming into the Promised Land in business will change the way you and I view our work. No longer will we see getting up early and staying up late as God's way. Living in the Promised Land in work means we know that God is the source of our provision and that our work is an act of worship to Him. Provision is a by-product, not an end in itself. Work is no longer something that must be sweated and toiled upon to make ends meet. "Could this really be true?" you might be saying. God has made it clear that obedience is the assurance of provision. Whenever we go beyond the normal workday due to fear of non-provision, we are operating in unbelief. We are saying that it is up to us to make things happen. Sure, there are times when we work longer hours due to a deadline, but we must be sure the motive is not out of fear of loss or fear of non-provision. If we are obedient to what God has called us to, He will provide our every need. This can be a hard lesson for goal-oriented workplace believers.

I recall coming into this understanding. I had been a workaholic. Long hours were common. Then God shook up my world and I was challenged by a friend to examine my motives for working long hours. I realized the source of those long hours was fear. Once I came into this understanding, I refused to work long hours even though the natural man would tell me I'd never make things happen if I worked a normal work week. Again, this reasoning is based on a lack of faith. If we are obedient to what God has called each of us to, we will not lack. At times it may be less than what we might like; at other times it may be more than we deserve. These are God's ways.

The Bible tells us to come out of Babylon. Babylon is a system of work and philosophy that is contrary to God's ways. Are you operating in any aspect of work from a Babylonian value system? Ask the Lord to reveal this to you. Begin to walk in the freedom He has given us in our work life.

[[ Falling On ]]*|3:03 PM|

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

[[Healing Before Ministry]]

And after the whole nation had been circumcised, they remained where they were in camp until they were healed. - Joshua 5:8

Before the nation of Israel could go into the Promised Land they had to be circumcised. Circumcision is painful, bloody, and personal. God requires each of us to be circumcised in heart before we are allowed to enter and receive the blessings that await each believer in the Promised Land.

This circumcision can often be very painful. Circumcision requires losing our old way of life. The process of spiritual circumcision may mean a loss in areas that have been a part of our lives in order to draw us to the Savior. God understands this. Consequently, like the people of Israel, we must wait until we are healed before we begin to be effective in our calling. If we launch out too early, we will be ineffective and may risk infection and disease and will not be at our full capacity. God wants each of us to walk in His healing grace.

The people of Israel fought only two battles when they were coming out of Egypt. In the Promised Land they fought 39 battles. Each of us must be prepared to enjoy the benefits of living in the Promised Land. However, we must also be prepared to wage war against the enemy of our souls. Make sure the Lord has provided the needed healing to your circumcision experience before you enter the Promised Land.

[[ Falling On ]]*|10:46 PM|

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

[[eternal]]

It is a night of death, a song of ethereal pain,
wolves vent their howls. The beautiful one
stirs.

Wisps of death shrouds her pale form,
an everlasting desire.

Her raven hair cascades over
pale shoulders, and her
full crimson lips part slightly, to taste the
blood streaming from the
pale flesh beneath
her.

Now a night of new life,
I woke up.

[[ Falling On ]]*|9:08 PM|

[[devoid of love]]

the night falls with a silent sigh, cold and alone are we.
the understanding for which you pray
flares once, then dies,
devoured by the all-encompassing dark.
all hope must end.

your heart desires no more.
how could you leave me?
shadows surround us, crying,
save us from ourselves.

[[ Falling On ]]*|9:05 PM|

[[Going Home]]

The old man pulls his collar up,
exhales white clouds.
His oars dig into cold water.
Foam is a fringed skirt beneath the boat.
Near shore a swarm of gnats hover,
a halo over warm mud.
His eyes drink in the bleak sky,
the leafless, charcoal tree.

[[ Falling On ]]*|9:03 PM|

[[Hearing His Voice]]

He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God. - John 8:47

Jesus said that the key to being able to hear God's voice is first to be one of His children. One of the great mysteries of the universe to my logical mind is how God can communicate with six billion people on the earth at the same time. It is one of those mysteries I must let go of because my "hard drive" would crash if I had to explain and understand this before I believed and trusted in Him. It is as though God places a computer chip in each human being, and when we place our faith and trust in Him, it becomes activated. We begin to communicate with Him. Jesus says that if we are children of God, then we can hear God's voice. He further explains this relationship in the following parable:

I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice (John 10:1-5).

The Shepherd is always representative of Christ. Sheep are representative of God's children. This passage tells us that the Shepherd communicates with His children. We are called by name and we can listen to our Shepherd's voice. There is another comforting aspect to this relationship. The Shepherd goes before the sheep to prepare the way. Jesus has already gone before us today to prepare our way.

Knowing the Shepherd and His voice allows us to have the assurance that we will not be fooled by another shepherd's voice. The sheep know His voice. It is only when we are dull of hearing that we mistakenly hear another's voice and follow it. Sin can create a poor frequency in our communication with the Shepherd. Make sure your frequency is free of static (sin) today so that the Shepherd can lead you and go before you.

Finally, distractions can also keep us from hearing our Shepherd's voice. When the sheep get entangled in the fence or wander off, they get too far away to hear the Shepherd's voice. We must stay in close proximity to the Shepherd to hear His voice. Stay close to the Shepherd today. Listen and follow. He wants to lead you.

[[ Falling On ]]*|6:53 PM|