DON'T SHOOT THE MESSENGER

MICAH 6 - 8

He has shown you, O man, what is good;

And what does the Lord require of you,

But to do justly,

To love mercy,

And to walk humbly,

WITH YOUR GOD?
NKJV 

Judy poked her head between the bed sheets flapping on the washing line in the September sunshine.   "Hi Megan" she called.  "Have a coffee break, the girls are coming at 11.00 unless of course you are busy.

"No" replied Megan "its a rest day after fighting the mob in the supermarket, shopping is a necessity not a pleasure for me.    I'll walk Skipper and then I'll be glad of a sit down for an hour.   Skipper hearing his name obligingly found his lead.   "You are one intelligent dog" said Megan proudly.   "Come on lets hit the trail"

In his D.V.D.  Greater abominations will happen* (first recorded in 2014) Jacob Prasch stresses the urgency for genuine followers of their Lord and Saviour to meet in fellowship and support one another because it is going to get much worse.   

Megan had already taken one pastor to task over his leadership and was politely told that she was the one with the problem.   Oh dear "critical spirit" status again.   Mind you he was probably part of the new wave philosophy.    Fish them in, and then Jesus will clean them up, meanwhile you contaminate the pond and baby fish might well shove off in another direction.

"First" said Megan rapidly losing her cool with the said pastor   "Repentance, then a genuine desire to break free from the sin that has them in bondage.   Physical signs of change. 

"So where to now Lord" Megan prayed, but there was nowhere to go.   Same sex marriage was just one of the abominations fully accepted in most churches, and she found the meeting with kindred spirits always healing and encouraging.   

"Oooh that coffee is good" said Megan as the doorbell announced the girls had arrived discussing the latest activities offered by their local church.   "Weight watchers"   

"Heavens above" said Jackie laughing "we won't have to worry about our weight, we'll be blessed if we can find something to eat the way things are going".

"Isn't it wrong for us not to trust that the Lord will look after his children" said Paula.
   

"So why did Joseph have to explain the warning dream to Pharaoh - Genesis 41 - 17-21 of plenty and followed by famine.  I think He expects us to be discerning, read the signs of the time and keep a good stock of basic dry and tinned food and water, that is not dependable on a fridge or freezer" said Jackie.    

"Who can find the quote about not being able to buy a loaf of bread with a bar of gold" enquired Ruth.   Groans all round.   She continued "although actually I think that was my Mum's version made simply so that a child could understand.

Ezekiel 7 - 19

They will throw their silver into the streets,

And their gold will be like refuse;

Their silver and gold will not be able to deliver them

In the day of the wrath of the LORD;

They will not satisfy their souls,

Nor fill their stomachs,

Because it became their stumbling block of iniquity. 

     

"And what on earth is Zumba?" asked Janet giggling.   "Have no idea" replied Sue "but count me out it takes me all my time to do the gardening these days"    

"Sounds a bit like African tribal stuff to me" said Judy "just exactly where is the respect and awe for the house of God.   Prayer, sound teaching, reflection, meditation.   All gone in the soup of modern music.  

"Right girls we have the You-tube video by Jacob Prasch.    It's only 50 minutes, we have enough time."  Judy pushed in a rewarding tea trolley laden with sandwiches and cream cakes.

"Well" said Paula realising the title of the teaching video "that doesn't go well with cream doughnuts and coffee."

"We have to be ready for anything" said Megan.   Perhaps then we will get our priorities right.   Bye bye to nail bars, coloured hair, botox and tats.   Get out the old carbolic soap, stock up on woollies and wrap Nanna in a thermal blanket."   

Giggles all round.

"By the way Jenny was seven last week" said Megan.   "She loves minions and said "Mummy can I send up for a lipstick tazer on Amazon.  She considers Amazon sell just about everything.    She had been watching Despicable 2 and decided it was perhaps a good idea to have one in case someone tried to arrest her Daddy for being a christian and saying something THEY didn't like.   I wouldn't want to kill anyone Mummy that's wrong, but that might make them go way"

"I positively weep for the kids that don't know the Lord" said Megan.   One boy laughed at Jenny's witness and said "that's a load of rubbish he was just a guy on pot."

"My Mum intends running the opposition over with her mobility scooter.   She never wanted to drive a car but she's lethal with that thing" exclaimed Judy.

"The guys are positively anesthetized now the football season is back" sighed Sue.     They wouldn't even realise we had disappeared in God's giant vacuum until they realised they were hungry and protested "where's the wife gone"

It's just another example of modern idol worship"" said Megan.  Football is just a game, I enjoyed kicking a ball around with my brothers,  but like everything else its out of control and worshipped by millions.

"Okay - tell it as it is Jacob" interrupted Ruth as they gathered round the computer.   Fifty minutes later  a sober silence descended on the group as they digested the contents.  

"It's a miracle Jacob is still alive" Judy exclaimed "I am sure he has many enemies in the church baying for his blood"

"That's nothing new" replied Paula.   "They shoot the messenger.   Be it "whistle blower" or simply men standing against the train wreck of a state church.   Men of conscience.    We go round and round in circles.   

"Look what the English did to William Wallace" replied Sue "do you know I am proud of my Scottish/Irish genes.  I would quite happily emigrate to Scotland for the next "independence vote"  

"But it would be thermals for most of the year darling" said Judy.    

"Small price to pay" replied Sue "I am just miffed, the independence vote was fiddled if anything ever was.   Frighten people with the thought that their bank balance might be at risk, that they might just lose something.   As usual it was not about country, it was all about SELF.  I could have wept for the youngsters who were so convinced it was in the bag.   The dark Lord had his finger in the mix.

"Lies and propaganda" said Megan "but it is coming to us all, how long before THEY say you can only have £50 out this week.

"Well" Sue replied "it will only affect those that have anyway.   We don't have holidays any more.   Dan's on a bike.   Aldi is just down the road.   We walk.

"Shall we now encourage ourselves in His precious name" said Judy.

Daniel 12 - 3

Those who are wise shall shine

Like the brightness of the firmament,

And those who turn many to righteousness

Like the stars forever and ever.

And just consider the advice the Lord gave to Daniel - 12 - 13

But you, go your way till the end;

for you shall rest, and will arise to

your inheritance at the end of days.

"Can someone please help me arise" exclaimed Ruth "I have been sitting far too long and I'm as stiff as a board.

By the way I found a really funny snippet when I was researching the prophet Elijah last week on Bible.org by a man called Bob Deffinbaugh commenting on christians who expect reward for their service.

It was about two men arriving at heaven's gate.  One a pastor of 43 years and a cab driver.   The pastor expected a much higher crown but his was smaller with fewer stars so he challenged Peter.   "I served you for 43 years - how come my reward was less".

And the punch line.

Peter said "Well your reward is based upon the result of your ministry.   While you preached, people slept.   While he drove, people prayed.    

Thank you Bob - what a great sense of humour.   The study was on the prophet Elijah and how the people of the time had turned to Baal and the worship of idols and it fits neatly in with our modern world.   Watch out. 

You do realise God is going to ask us "what did you do with your time on earth".   Right now all I could say is "sorry Lord I've had a bad case of sloth.   Time to get organised.   Go to it girls.  Remember God has a sense of humour after all He loves us warts and all"  and with that Ruth disappeared down the lane on her mobility scooter  

* NJKV - Spirit Filled Bible.

**  Abominations still to come - Jacob Prasch.  (2014)  You-Tube.