IDENTITY THEFT!

Marketing in the 21st century has taken a serious turn for the worse...All you have to do is listen to the news, watch a commercial or browse the internet. No matter where you go something is being thrust in your face that makes you think you need it or should be afraid of it. Every program has an agenda, every news story is bent, twisted and exaggerated, every talk radio show claims to discuss the unadulterated truth from an unbiased perspective. They want to give you the benefit of their wisdom, because just presenting the facts and letting you form your own conclusions would be far less interesting and far less lucrative. 

The definition of success in most countries today is determined by wealth and power. No matter what your nationality or skin color, you are bombarded with highly specialized marketing that daily interrupts your ability to decide what is right and wrong in your own mind, replacing it with what you should think. This usurpation of thinking and making an informed decision based on the facts at hand is undermining more than 5000 years of recorded human history. Public opinion, lead by the merciless and relentless marketing efforts of those in a position to gain wealth and/or power, have permanently stunted the growth of independent decision making on a massive scale. Shame on us for turning victims into criminals...Shame on us for turning wrong into right...Shame on us for making black and white into gray, so that no one can discern the truth from a lie, winning from losing, guilty from innocent, beautiful from ugly, good from evil, weak from strong, or war from peace.

Our Lord's message to the people in Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea ring loudly with His opinion based on personal observation of each city. To Sardis, He says, "I see right through
your work." "You have a reputation for vigor and zest, but you're dead, stone dead." To Philadelphia, He says, "I see what you have done." "You used what you had to keep my Word." "You didn't deny me when times were tough." To Laodicea, He says, "I know you inside and out..." "You're not cold, you're not hot..." "You brag that you are rich, that you have it made, and that you need nothing from anyone." Verse 18 in Revelation 3 says, "Here's what I want from all of you:"

1. BUY YOUR GOLD FROM ME-it's been through the refiner's fire. Then you will be rich.
2. BUY YOUR CLOTHES FROM ME-they have been designed in Heaven, you have gone around half-naked long enough.
3. BUY YOUR MEDICINE FROM ME-with this medicine you can see, really see.

One of the seven churches or a combination of them, spells out your life whether you like it or not. These are not my words, they are His words of truth to live by everywhere and anywhere you go from birth, through death and into eternity. You may buy some silver or gold in this world because the marketeers have stolen your attention away from God. You may have purchased your clothes at one of the many places advertised every day, and finally we all make monthly trips to fill our prescriptions, so that we can live healthier and longer, but a prescription from Jesus opens your eyes so that you can see what He does! This sight fills not just your head, but your heart and soul. Only then will the perpetual noise of this world be filtered, so that you can live with contentment, in peace and harmony with true discernment and  God-given wisdom. This identity can never be hacked, stolen or altered. Your name is "indelibly"written in the Book of Life.

Please BUY from GOD, he is open 24/7.

It starts on your knees...

God Bless,

The Digital Disciple

THE DEEP FREEZE

                                          FROZEN IN ICE

It's been months since my last post...I said I would be out for surgery on my left hip, and as of today my mind is clear enough to begin my study. By the way,  our Heavenly Father has made it abundantly clear to me that I am behind. My surgery on the hip was amazing. Advanced capabilities, especially on wound closure and infection reduction are light years ahead of my last hip replacement some seven years before. I will start with the positive and tell you what happened to me in the areas of pain and medication management in the O.R., the recovery area and in my room. 

While it was not funny at all during the last week of October and all of November, my family and I were run through the proverbial 
mill. The good news is that I, quite literally, lost my mind for four days, because I was accidentally given pain medications that I have been allergic to for many years. Lack of historical information and incomplete current records, caused a meltdown in the recovery room, the hospital room and the first few days in rehab. When dealing with morphine, it's close family members and synthetic derivatives, you get a Chinese fire drill of the worst kind. These medications immediately caused hallucinations 
and no pain relief. I was in surgery for less than 2 hours, but spent more than 5 hours in recovery. I was writhing in pain and screaming at the top of my lungs, while the nurses and doctors tried to relieve the pain and wake me up at the same time. Despite all my antics, I was not awake, so I missed all of the fireworks. Unfortunately, my wife did not...

                                    PARTIALLY FROZEN IN ICE

But now I am back, very late, but back! I am still in outpatient rehabilitation, but I am without most pain and now must get my strength back physically and spiritually. There are 3 more churches that Jesus, through the angel of each church, makes known His heavenly opinion of their earthly lives. If you have noticed in the first 4 churches, Jesus handed out very few compliments, and coupled caustic, excruciating judgement on how they are really deceiving, not only themselves, but also the other believers around them.

Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea are the names of the remaining cities.  Each is away from the sea with their own established trade routes that are their lifeline to the ships in the port cities. Sardis was the furthest north west. Jesus said that this group of believers had a reputation for vigor and zeal. On the surface, this sounds pretty good, so you have to look closely...You see, a reputation is something that you are known for by things you have done in the past. Jesus is saying, you started out like a rocket with the true gospel and then, once the fuel ran low, you stalled, falling back to a place before where you began. Those of you who exist in frigid climates know that as long as your vehicle is moving, it's warm and functional. If moisture sneaks in and condenses, it is likely to freeze the flow of the fuel. What happens then? Condensed moisture that freezes might seems insignificant, until you can't start the vehicle. That little bit of moisture can stop the most powerful engine in its tracks, and then the heat soon dissipates and the whole vehicle stops, frozen in time and space. 

                                    COMPLETELY FROZEN IN ICE

Spiritually the same thing happens in our lives. Jesus calls this state of Christianity, "desperate," in Revelation. Nothing started can be finished as long as your spiritual fuel line is frozen. Sometimes moisture gets in without your direct involvement. Sometimes it seeps in just a little bit at a time, as you compromise yourself and/or your God. Sometimes you are just careless with your gift from Jesus himself, causing yourself to stumble and fall. Sometimes you trip over those obstacles placed in your path by the evil one and his followers. A frozen Christian man or woman is in the words of Jesus, "desperate." You can't see, feel, touch, or smell anything. Being physically alive on the outside, yet spiritually and/or emotionally frozen solid on the inside is worse than repelling down the wrong path. Going up or down means you are still able to move and think for yourself. You can contact God at any time. If you are frozen, you are in the worst place possible in this life. Believe me, I know about this first hand!

Sardis once teemed with life and enthusiasm for their Lord and Savior. Fortunately their "freeze," did not happen instantaneously. You are not flash frozen with no hope. It always starts with that little bit of seemingly harmless moisture that initiates the process of a frozen heart and soul. If you are experiencing the chill of Sardis in your life, it's time to turn up the heat, start the fireplace and move forward for God. 

                                     THAW OUT WITH GOD