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Something is happening, a transformation is in progress. God’s love is redefining my heart. I am affected in a new way by the old things. The planet has been left untouched but my spirit has been altered.
I want humility to teach me, to shape me. I want to know what it’s like to care about someone else more than self. I want to start again, this time I’ll live as the obedient child I so rebelled against to be. I’ll be there as the bride kneeling at the altar ready to face the truth and accept it with open heart and arms.
Cleanse me O’ my God, leave me stainless as I lay prostate on the cold concrete as David did. Forgive my pride, I thought I could do this by myself, I thought I didn’t need you, I thought I was better than most men. I swore I had more to offer the world, but the world isn't looking for the solutions that we need, we only search for answers we want to hear.
The puppet master had a hold of my strings and I was dancing on my way to hell until my feet got tired and my heart grew bitter and the strings snapped. Now everyday brings me closer to the truth that I keep recognizing with every single Word from your mouth. You speak the truth that continuously keeps setting me free day after day, night after night, every last one of your Words is like a loving kiss on my soul as my heart weeps with tears of pure delight because you care what becomes of me.
I am now a Diplomat representing your Kingdom; I take my place as your Royal Priest and proclaim your truth to whoever will listen. Your blood is not in vain, I say your blood is not in vain but has redeemed my life and I give it back to you again and again as I repent and exchange your forgiveness for strength and power to face yet another spiritual battle as I scream your heavenly name JESUS, JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH!!!
He is our savior and defender of all that is Good and Holy and Righteous. My brothers and I are Soldiers in the Armies of the Most High assembling in great masses; our numbers are more than the grains of sand or stars in the skies.
We stand with a Kingdom that needs no defense so we battle for lost souls that wander in the city streets and country sides. Salvation for others our solo and just reward, all done in the name of Jesus Christ our most merciful and gracious and loving God… I say Hallelujah, Amen, Amen and Amen!!!
Our sons and daughters…
Our sons and daughters are crying…
Our sons and daughters are crying over and over but their cries fall upon deaf ears that can hear but chose not to listen.
We keep thinking "that would never happen to my baby."
But your baby girl will modify into a
child will change into a
young lady who can transform into a
woman some day
turning tricks and selling her love for dollars to strangers
who pick pieces of her soul every time they touch her body.
I want to shake her and tell her to NOT BE CONFORMED TO THE PATTERNS OF THIS WORLD, BUT BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND.
You keep thinking; “That would never happen to my baby.”
But your baby boy will adjust to a
child will fine-tune himself into a
young chap who can develop into a
grown man some day
who screams out obscenities and calls all women by their first name…
“Ayo Shawty!!!”
They are little boys
trapped in a grown man’s body
equipped with the intellect of an animal
while their penis points to pussy cats that purr,
their mentality can not recognize what genuine LOVE is…
so I hope these are not your sons or daughters…
We could speak all the languages of the world,
we could understand all of God’s secret plans,
we could possess all knowledge of the earth,
but if we don’t love each other…
we gain nothing.
So I choose to be the Ambassador of Christ.
I will represent the Kingdom of God and stand proudly as His Diplomat.
I will work as his public servant touching the ears and seeping into the hearts of people.
I will be the vessel who will heal the people who are;
equipped with the intellect of an animal.
I will use the words of my Father to restore;
strangers who pick pieces of people souls.
Because that could be my son or daughter whose mind is weak
or whose soul is picked
or whose voice screams obscenities
or whose mentality can not recognize genuine LOVE
Because a child will do childish things,
but when he grows up he should put those childish things away and be the
man who will raise the
son who will grow to be a
man who will love
my daughter who will know what genuine love is
because she watched how I loved her mother.
Her mother was dressed with strength and dignity,
and she could laugh without fear of the future,
and when she spoke her words were wise, and she gave advice with kindness.
She watched everything in the household and experienced nothing from laziness.
Her children stood and blessed her.
And I praised her.
But now our sons and daughters symbolize numbers
and numbers signify statistics
and statistics embody the ugly truth,
And now our sons and daughters correspond to 1.3 million children
who have been homeless for a significant period of time.
Over 16,000 of our sons and daughters stay in shelters in major cities all over the United States every night. And I’m thinking “how can we be spending 4 Billion dollars a month to occupy Iraq if we can’t even house and feed our OWN sons and daughters in our own back yard.”
And statistics keep killing me:
Like pornography had $3.62 Billion dollars in sales
Like every 2 minutes, somewhere in America, one of our daughters is sexually assaulted
Like there is an annual average of 232,000 daughters raped and 44% of daughters are the under age 18
So I pray for our sons and daughters
May God love them and guide them
May the children be blessed and ride on wings of angels to protect them
And may we keep our eyes on God, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith and love.
Have you ever been in prayer, now I mean serious prayer? For instance when I am in heavy repentance. Or maybe intercession prayer for someone very near and dear to me, there maybe a breakthrough I am praying for, a healing of a disease or sickness. Or what about some sort of spiritual demon who seems to be taking over someone's mind. Well when I am praying for things that deep I sometimes fell I just cannot convey to God exactly what it is I want to say. I mean I find myself maybe pausing too long during the prayer, I start giving to much emphasis on how to get my point across. In other words there is something I want to convey to God but I just cannot find the idea that can match the words I want to say, THAT IS WHEN I FEEL I MUST PRAY IN TONGUES.
1Corinthians 14:2 For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries.
Now I know if you go just 2 more verses down it says:
1Corinthians 14:4 One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but one who prophesies edifies the church.
Understood, no problem, which is exactly why I would not speak in tongues in a crowd, I understand that if everyone else can not understand the tongues then everyone else cannot benefit from them, but that is my exact point, THIS IS NOT ABOUT EVERYONE ELSE (look at the first part of 1Corinthians 14:4). My prayer time is the time I take out to commune with God, to talk to him about my private matters, I share with Him the inner-most secrets of my heart and I pray to Him that he can continue to wash me, repentance is a daily thing and I can not always convey my passion in my own language, thus enter tongues. My tongues are used between my God and myself. I am not speaking in tongues because I am afraid Satan can hear my prayers in English and work against them, I really have no worry about that.
Listen I would never try to pressure someone into practicing my practices. I am just asking, what is the difference between Paul and I, what is the difference between Elijah and I? Jesus said he did nothing on his own accord, but all he did was what he saw and heard the Father do and say. So I am taking Him for His word. God has no favorites so I am going to try my absolute best to try to live as the saints did, live just as Jesus does. I am going to heal the sick, I’m going to speak in tongues to edify myself and pray, I am going to make the cripple walk, I am going to do these things and greater because I am holding Jesus Christ accountable for every word He said, and he said:
John 14:12-14 "I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in Me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in My name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask Me for anything in My name, and I will do it!
I guess one of the biggest points I am trying to make is why would some of the bible be good for use today and not the entire bible. Of course I understand about the things spoken of in Deuteronomy, I mean we can not go about taking our children to the front entrances of our apartment complexes and begin to stone them to death when they misbehave. Some things are obvious and go against all modern LAW. I am not speaking of those things; I am talking about the gifts, the miracles, the signs and wonders of ancient times. I believe they are for use as much today as they were back then, if not more.
The scriptures did say that the tongues where used to convince the unbeliever, but the scriptures also say tongues were to be used to edify “HIMSELF” not just “THEM.” Also, the scriptures NEVER state in unambiguous words that they were limited for a certain era. I know 1Corinthians 13:8 says:
“Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.”
But it never specifically says WHEN they will cease.
1Corinthians 13:10 But when full understanding comes, these partial things will become useless.
Granted, but I interpret “when full understanding comes” to be the return of Jesus Christ and I have to tell you, I haven’t heard anything about the rapture yet.
Why, in the name of such an incredible, powerful, omniscient, loving, caring, good, merciful, gracious God would we continuously confine Him to the times of ancient? I will continue to live with one belief guiding everything I hold dear about my God, and that is, the Bible is not a history book, it is God’s very word on how to love like Him, live like Him and most important, how to teach others how to do the same. I can not put God in a box and pull him out for only certain things. God is everywhere and I place Him in His right perspective… right the middle of everything.
2Ti 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;
I yearn for the days when we as the body of Christ will burn Isaiah 55:7-9 into our hearts and understand that there are some things we just will NEVER UNDERSTAND as long as we are still here on earth. To close the door on all supernatural thinking is just robbing yourself of all God has to offer. I believe this is what "RENEWING YOUR MIND" is all about, thinking in a whole different manner.
Isaiah 55:7-9 Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the LORD that He may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for He will forgive generously. My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts," says the LORD. "And My ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts.
God Bless You,
Frank Aponte Jr
The truth... it always sets you free. So here is the truth; I have not changed, I am simply living as God intended me to live. God created me in His own image, why would he intend for that image to be a wicked one.
Genesis 1:27 So God created human beings in his own image.
Adam blew our chance for a perfect relationship with God the second he bit into the fruit.
Genesis 3:17 “Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat...."
Genesis 3:22-23 Then the Lord God said, “Look, the human beings have become like us, knowing both good and evil. What if they reach out, take fruit from the tree of life, and eat it? Then they will live forever!” So the Lord God banished them from the Garden of Eden, and he sent Adam out to cultivate the ground from which he had been made.
So you see God's intention was to have us with Him, everyday, together, but Adam's disobedience took that from us. But never forsaking or leaving us God tells us:
1 John 3:9 Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God.
This is what I mean, I believe I have not changed, I am just fulfilling God's purpose, his original intention, a personal relationship with Him, like it should have been since the beginning.
I don't live to please others, I live to help others through God which pleases Him. I can only tell people what I know and believe to be true, if they choose not to accept it then I can go no further.
God Bless You,
Frank Aponte Jr
I know I could take the time to run my NAVE topical study program and break down certain scripture for you. I could sit here and my words could pour brilliantly across the screen. I could speak with enormous amounts of eloquent words, but this would only symbolize me, not God. Today I want the scriptures to do what they do best and that is talk to your heart and mind. I want to share a wonderful idea that I truly believe can change the way you may perceive your relationship with God.
Now I want you to imagine the relationship a child may have with his/her Father. When there are decisions that must be made the Father has the last word but any loving Father will want to know what the child is thinking. A Father would want to know what is on the mind of the child. Now understand, the child does not have the authority to make the ultimate decision, but the heart is a thing of wonder, it is exactly what it is “The Heart,” all else is shaped and fashioned by the heart. So although the child does not ultimately have the right to make the final decision, he can have some influence on what the Father decides. It is the same with you and God. Now I know this may sound blasphemous to the modern-day Christian, but I present to you living words from the bible itself.
The following passage is a conversation between God and Moses:
Exodus 32:7-10 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, "Go down at once, for your people, whom you brought up from the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. "They have quickly turned aside from the way which I commanded them. They have made for themselves a molten calf, and have worshiped it and have sacrificed to it and said, 'This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!'" The LORD said to Moses, "I have seen this people, and behold, they are an obstinate people. "Now then let Me alone, that My anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them; and I will make of you a great nation."
Mose's response:
Exodus 32:11-13 Then Moses entreated the LORD his God, and said, "O LORD, why does Your anger burn against Your people whom You have brought out from the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? "Why should the Egyptians speak, saying, 'With evil intent He brought them out to kill them in the mountains and to destroy them from the face of the earth'? Turn from Your burning anger and change Your mind about doing harm to Your people. "Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants to whom You swore by Yourself, and said to them, 'I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heavens, and all this land of which I have spoken I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.'"
God's response:
Exodus 32:14 So the LORD changed His mind about the harm which He said He would do to His people.
I must say, this is not an everyday occurrence where the ALL MIGHTY GOD changes His plans…. But with faith, hope, love and strict obedience I believe our minds should prepare for serious relationship with God amid inconceivable and miraculous experiences.
God Bless You,
Frank Aponte Jr
2Co 5:15 He died for everyone so that those who receive His new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.
2Co 5:17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
This principle is one we should accept with humility and prestige. This process is one of great patience and perseverance. This is not an overnight development; this is a life long progression.
I wish there were a more eloquent way of putting this; PRIDE IS STUPID. The worst result of pride is interruption. Pride interrupts us from becoming as Christlike as possible; it slows down our maturing process. Pride obstructs our inner mind’s eye from identifying & confessing our faults, it holds back our hearts from admitting our weaknesses. We can not fix what we do not admit is broken. Well along comes Jesus, teaching and spreading His Father's words & ways, exposing the Creator's truth and purpose. But we fear what we do not know and oppose what does not coincide with what we believe. Jesus said in John 3:20 "All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed."
We are opposed to what ever restricts our freedom, not knowing that the REAL truth will set us free.
John 8:31-32 Jesus said to the people who believed in Him, "You are truly My disciples if you remain faithful to My teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
You see, in all actuality HUMAN truth is a LIE that we have just become too comfortable with to surrender, but at the end of the day it's still a LIE. So we condemned the greatest man to ever walk the face of the earth because we couldn't handle the truth. Jesus Said in John 7:7 "The world can't hate you, but it does hate me because I accuse it of doing evil."
I struggle with my faith sometimes, but I need you to understand that this is not an overnight journey, this is a life long process, learning as each day goes on, enduring hardships and understanding the benefits of these sufferings. The apostle James said "Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing." James 1:2-4
Always remember the following scripture; it helped me when I needed it most, when I thought I needed to be moving faster in my faith. When Habakkuk became miserable because he thought God was not acting fast enough, God said to him:
“These things I plan won’t happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, do not despair, for these things will surely come to pass. Just be patient! They will not be overdue a single day! Habakkuk 2:3 (Living Bible Version)
I was seeing things in other Christians that I did not see in myself and I thought I had to be where they were, but every one’s relationship moves at a different pace, we have to unlearn many old things before we learn new things.
Eph 4:22-24 “throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.”
Christianity is about action, what we do, not just what we read. The Bible is the living Word of God, the Word has life, and it gives life. We must be doers not just listeners.
Col 3:7-10 “You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don't lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like Him.”
With patience and love we can become that which God intended us to be.
God Bless You,
Frank Aponte Jr
I wonder what it might have been like to walk by the side of Jesus Christ during the last few years of his life. I mean to have actually witness his miracles, to have heard his sermon on the mount, to be in the presence of God in the flesh. I remember a time in my life when I believed that the only reason Jesus was able to do the things he did and act and react the way he did was because he was God. I mean it was easy for Jesus, he was God, he had power like no one else, temptation was nothing for Jesus, feeding 5000 was a small buffet for him, walking on water was a stroll in a park, healing the sick was a regular doctor’s visit and raising the dead well, that was nothing but really good therapy… right?
No, and absolutely nothing could be further from the truth. When Jesus Christ came to walk the face of the earth he voluntarily relinquished his POWER as God and put himself on the same level as man. The love and power Jesus Christ demonstrated to us was a perfect model of what a profound and serious relationship with God can do. That is one of the most important examples of the life and times of Jesus Christ, to emulate his behavior and as Jesus himself said to “…do the same works I have done, and even greater works…” (John 14:12)
The Super Natural of the world should be the everyday natural to Christians. The great love and understanding of Jesus should stand as the greatest example of God’s attributes. Jesus loves, Jesus is saddened, Jesus is angered and Jesus is humbled. In the passage speaking of Lazarus notice how he is told same exact thing word for word by both Martha and Mary, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died.”(John 11:21&32) While speaking with Martha Jesus reminds her that he IS the resurrection, he reminds her of the promise of eternal life. Now notice what happens when Mary comes to Jesus and says the same thing, Jesus does not utter a word but instead sees Mary and the others weeping, asks “Where have you put him?” and begins to weep along with the others. No personal thoughts, no words of comfort, no sugar coating, Jesus Christ just simply weeps. My brothers and sisters if this is not the ultimate expression of human suffering I do not know what is. The Almighty God in human form with His head hung low in tears. Jesus Christ understands, Jesus Christ cares, Jesus Christ loves.
John 11:32-36 When Mary arrived and saw Jesus, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within him, and he was deeply troubled. “Where have you put him?” he asked them. They told him, “Lord, come and see.” Then Jesus wept. The people who were standing nearby said, “See how much he loved him!”
God Bless You,
Frank Aponte Jr
Where do we draw the line? When do we say enough is enough? When will the concerns of those who honor God become relevant? When will the country as a whole begin to take notice of the concerns of the American Christian? It is obvious the instant a secular idea is threatened the unbeliever can run to the government demanding immediate action, and action is taken. But on the contrary, it seems the moment something negatively affects a Christian there is no concern, no compassion and no understanding. It is almost as if we are an annoyance, we are being ignored and what the Christian believes is of no real significance to the unbeliever in congress. I am troubled to say it is as if we are second-class citizens. The general public’s priorities are completely and utterly BACKWARDS. "We The People" most unquestionably includes the Christian. We vote, we live, we work, we pay taxes and some like me perform the ultimate task of sacrificing our very lives to defend this country in a Military capacity. I have a voice, what I think and believe matters just as much as anyone else. Government must function for me as well, and if it does not, there will be consequences to pay. In an address in 1982 at the Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the late Dr. Francis A. Schaeffer said “When the government negates the law of God, it abrogates its authority. God has given certain offices to restrain chaos in this fallen world, but it does not mean that these offices are autonomous, and when a government commands that which is contrary to the Law of God, it abrogates its authority.” Allow me to break that down into Layman’s terms. “When the government goes against the law of God, it cancels out its power. God has specified certain offices to restrain chaos in this fallen world, but it does not mean that these offices are independent or self-governing, and when a government commands something that is different from the Law of God, it cancels out its power.” The constitution embodies the principles of the Bible, this did not occur by accident. Dr. Schaffer ended his address by stating “Christ must be the final LORD and not Caesar and not society.” Christ said "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." (Matthew 22:21) Government is of God not over God. Even a tyrant such as Pharaoh knew if there were no people then there was no kingdom. So although Joseph was a slave, Pharaoh knew well enough that Joseph was the best man for the job, not to mention the best representative for the people. That should be the main concern, what would be best for THE PEOPLE. Genesis 41:41 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the entire land of Egypt.” Genesis 41:44 And Pharaoh said to him, “I am Pharaoh, but no one will lift a hand or foot in the entire land of Egypt without your approval.” King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon made it clear to his chief of staff Ashpenaz what characteristics the candidates for royal service needed to exemplify. It went beyond education, it was also about human compassion. Daniel 1:3-4 “Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, his chief of staff, to bring to the palace some of the young men of Judah’s royal family and other noble families, who had been brought to Babylon as captives. “Select only strong, healthy, and good-looking young men,” he said. “Make sure they are well versed in every branch of learning, are gifted with knowledge and good judgment, and are suited to serve in the royal palace. Train these young men in the language and literature of Babylon.” The NASB version reads: “…endowed with understanding and discerning knowledge…” Daniel 1:4 I leave you with the plans for the first official congressmen. At this time Moses was dealing with every single dispute of the people. His father-in-law advises him on how to deal with this problem. Watch what the only characteristics were for these congressmen. Now listen to me, and let me give you a word of advice, and may God be with you. You should continue to be the people’s representative before God, bringing their disputes to him. Teach them God’s decrees, and give them his instructions. Show them how to conduct their lives. But select from all the people some capable, honest men who fear God and hate bribes. Appoint them as leaders over groups of one thousand, one hundred, fifty, and ten. They should always be available to solve the people’s common disputes, but have them bring the major cases to you. Let the leaders decide the smaller matters themselves. They will help you carry the load, making the task easier for you. If you follow this advice, and if God commands you to do so, then you will be able to endure the pressures, and all these people will go home in peace.” (Exodus 18:19-23) It was, is and always will be about the people, for the people. The concern should be what is best for the nation, not for the popular current society. Our present should revisit our past to assure our future. God Bless You, Frank Aponte Jr
In this entry it may seem as if I am skipping around a little too much, but I believe if you read all the way through, God’s word will show you the truth. I use much scripture because these scriptures speak to the truth of how a government (a Holy government) should be. I believe our disconnect from God is the root of the present condition of our government. It is broken, detached from the nation and accommodating to only a select few.
Now all though the law of Moses may not hold final word, I believe his law established the difficult truth that we ALL MUST BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHAT WE DO. To totally disobey the law of Moses is to go in opposition of the word of Jesus himself.
Mat 5:17 "Don't misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose.
Jesus enlightened us in scripture, I believe we just choose to close our eyes to His words or misconstrue their meaning, but it is clear what the Savior means in the following passage.
Luke 16:16-17 "Until John the Baptist, the law of Moses and the messages of the prophets were your guides. But now the Good News of the Kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is eager to get in. But that doesn't mean that the law has lost its force. It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the smallest point of God's law to be overturned.
The NASB version says:
Luke 16:17 "But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter of the Law to fail.
The Greek word FAIL means to FALL DOWN.
I can not agree to the law of Moses being totally negated. Jesus gave the proper position acquired by Moses. To Moses the law was given and Moses will be the one to accuse you says Jesus our Lord and Savior.
John 5:44-45 No wonder you can't believe! For you gladly honor each other, but you don't care about the honor that comes from the One who alone is God. "Yet it isn't I who will accuse you before the Father. Moses will accuse you! Yes, Moses, in whom you put your hopes.
I state all this to say that God gives a clear picture to His idea of what Government should be. As I stated in my last entry (God Not Government) I understand that we can not drag our children to the gates of our apartment complexes and stone them to death for their misbehavior. But as a whole in general the ideas of how and what type of people should govern our nation is clear.
King David is a perfect example of a nation’s leader. He was, repentant, caring and fair. He was not perfect but always returned to the Father for forgiveness. No one is perfect and all fall short of the glory, that is to be expected, also to be expected is to turn to the Creator for His forgiveness and mercy.
There are many characteristics that a leader should hold and there are some that should go without say. How someone could ask another to do that which he himself has never done is characteristic of a coward. Jesus did all the Father showed and did and in turn asked nothing more than the same of us. David falls in suit. There was a season when a king was to fight in battle himself, side by side with his troops. I want you to understand this was nothing out of the ordinary, this was the way of Kingship. Now although the following passage states David did not do so, that is not the point why I make use of the scripture. King David ruled for quiet some time and I am sure he joined his troops in battle during that certain season more than once. I show the scripture to confirm my point that such a season for kings did exist.
2Samuel 11:1 In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites. They destroyed the Ammonite army and laid siege to the city of Rabbah. However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem.
So I present the question, how eager would a President be to declare War if he himself had to be present in actual battle for a certain period of time during war? At the end of March of 2008, which indicated the 5 year mark of our presence in Iraq, the count of those US Soldiers which made the ultimate sacrifice with their lives was over 4,000. If knowing he had to be in combat himself, would the President of these United States so willingly declare War? I say this not to draw attention to the president but more to his position. David had proved himself countless times and was loved by his troops. David experienced war himself, he knew what he was asking of his troops and asked nothing of them he would not do himself.
1Samuel 18:13 Finally, Saul sent him away and appointed him commander over 1,000 men, and David faithfully led his troops into battle.
1Samauel 18:16 But all Israel and Judah loved David because he was so successful at leading his troops into battle.
David was loyal to his people, he was loved by the people, he was trusted by the people but in particular his people look to him for truth, confidence and leadership. David’s reputation spoke for itself.
2Sa 5:1-3 Then all the tribes of Israel went to David at Hebron and told him, "We are your own flesh and blood. In the past, when Saul was our king, you were the one who really led the forces of Israel. And the LORD told you, 'You will be the shepherd of My people Israel. You will be Israel's leader.'" So there at Hebron, King David made a covenant before the LORD with all the elders of Israel. And they anointed him king of Israel.
Truly elected by the people, for the people and David did not let his people down. When he fell short of that glory he ran to God for comfort, wisdom and reproach.
Even while David was under the leadership of King Saul he was already making a name for himself, God was working in him and David worked for the people. Let me say that again. God worked in David and David work for the people.
Power of the People
Let us not ignore the power of many voices that shout one expression. Good and great deeds do not go unrewarded. In 1 Samuel 14:24 King Saul says: "Let a curse fall on anyone who eats before evening—before I have full revenge on my enemies." Jonathan, King Saul’s son did not hear of this covenant King Saul made so Jonathan had a small taste of honey. Saul cast lots (throw dice) to see who was the culprit and promised that he who had something to eat before the said time would die, even if it was his own son Jonathan. It was shown to be Jonathan and he admitted doing so. The PEOPLE knew what kind of person Jonathan was, the PEOPLE had their say and their word was law.
1Sa 14:44-45 "Yes, Jonathan," Saul said, "you must die! May God strike me and even kill me if you do not die for this." But the people broke in and said to Saul, "Jonathan has won this great victory for Israel. Should he die? Far from it! As surely as the LORD lives, not one hair on his head will be touched, for God helped him do a great deed today." So the people rescued Jonathan, and he was not put to death.
God made clear what a leader’s job entailed. Government is not just one person speaking for all, it is an elect few elite speaking for those who do not have a voice or can not be heard. One man can not possibly run a nation, that is not the intention of government. Within each region there must be a privileged one among many who is elected to speak on the behalf of those who have entrusted their way of life to him. That one must be of the people, he must know the people and most of all he must share the people’s plight or there is completely no point to the matter. He must then take the census of the people to higher and represent them to his fullest. The King or President must then do what is best for the NATION, not a select few. Those who have been elected MUST BE held accountable for their actions. I believe if we are expected to abide by law then the officials must lead with the people’s best interest in mind.
Numbers 11:16-17 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Gather before Me seventy men who are recognized as elders and leaders of Israel. Bring them to the Tabernacle to stand there with you. I will come down and talk to you there. I will take some of the Spirit that is upon you, and I will put the Spirit upon them also. They will bear the burden of the people along with you, so you will not have to carry it alone.
Deuteronomy 27:1 Then Moses and the leaders of Israel gave this charge to the people: "Obey all these commands that I am giving you today.”
God created order, God gave government. Laws that apply today are based off of laws in our bible that were written thousands of years ago. The syntax may have changed but the idea still stands true. We must place all laws under the watchful eye of God. If law goes against God’s word then the law has lost all authority and influence. Law may be law but in my home we worship the LORD.
I believe one of my favorite authors Dr. Francis Schaeffer said it best: “If there is no place for disobeying the government, that government has been put in the place of the living God. In such a case the government has been made a false god.”
Peter and John were arrested and brought in front of the council of all the rulers, elders and teachers of religious law. They commanded Peter and John to never again speak or teach in the name of Jesus. Peter and John would not allow the powers that be to restrict what was more important which is the Word of God. Never should man be over God.
Acts 4:19 But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? (NLT)
Take hold of what you believe in my brothers and sisters. We fight for many things that are not really worth the battle. Take up arms and put on the entire Armor of God.
God Bless You,
Frank Aponte Jr
There are many interpretations of scripture but only one truth.
I must make one thing perfectly clear before I begin. I try my best to not hate the person; I only hate the wrong that they do. Jude 1:23 Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.
I DO NOT HATE GAY PEOPLE, I love them just as I love everyone one. They are human like the rest of us and like the rest of us they sin. I am directing this blog to those who claim to be Christian and believe the homosexual lifestyle is acceptable to God. Please listen to me carefully; a Gay Christian is an absolute oxymoron. God punished people for living such a lifestyle. The bible is clear in both Old and New testaments. Some self-proclaimed, Gay-Christian authors such as Elaine would like you to believe different but it is not so.
Again I must stress that I do not have a problem with Gays in the church… if they are coming in search of redemption and rectification of the homosexual lifestyle, not if they are looking for acceptance of a homosexual lifestyle. I have had gays tell me they have been thrown out of churches for being gay; I told them they went to the wrong church. Any God fearing, Holy Spirit filled church will have their doors wide open to gays, strippers, liars, thieves, adulterers and sinners alike, as long as they are all coming to receive the truth and the life, as long as they are willing to step into the light and expose themselves to God so He may restore them, all are welcome. I did not come to God for acceptance; I came to God so he could strip me of my love of the world and show me His truth. I did not come to God trying to impress upon Him what I thought was truth, I came to learn, I came to change, I came to be better person towards others because the Christian lifestyle is not a selfish one;
For we don’t live for ourselves or die for ourselves. (Romans 14:7 NLT)
Now, before I go any further I want to be fair and give you the opportunity to read Elaine’s article for yourself if you chose. She is referring to Romans 1:21-31 but the specific verse she is speaking of in this particular part of the following article is Romans 1:24. Elaine does not state her last name on the site or at least I could not find it but I was not really searching for it. There is another article on the website where she states that Sodom and Gomorrah were not destroyed because of their sexual sins but because their acts were CRUEL. This to me is a very, very weak and deceiving interpretation. Anyway, I am writing in reference to her article on:
We pick up at a piece of the article where the author is contemplating over a marriage proposal she was given by her friend or boyfriend at the time, let’s look at that portion of the article:
“Not a mile down the road, I stopped for gas and to wash my car. My mind so absorbed in this question, I hardly paid attention to what I was doing. In the car wash, ‘out-of-the-blue’ the Holy Spirit brings to mind this passage in Romans. I thought about the story and how these people had rejected God and then had turned away from what was “natural” to them. Women going after women and the men after the other men. "OK," I thought, "God is telling me that being with another woman is not an option. I already knew that!"
But then the Holy Spirit asked me a strange question. “Elaine, what is natural for you? Being with Bill or being with a woman?” Lying to God was futile, so I truthfully answered, “with a woman”. There was simply no comparison between the two!
As I reflected on my answer, half expecting a lightning bolt to strike my car, the Holy Spirit brought up the Romans Scripture again. This time though He emphasized the ORDER in which things occurred in the story. These people weren’t ‘gay’ and then they had turned away from God. No, they had first turned away from God, and then they turned toward that which was unnatural for them.”
Ok, first, this has nothing to do with THEM. The scriptures unmistakably state the act is unnatural and proceed to undoubtedly define what is unnatural. Whether the people were gay before or not has absolutely nothing to do with the scriptures, but the bible says they were this way in their hearts BEFORE they turned away from God. The principle here is that scripture defines what is UNNATURAL. Man does not define what is unnatural, only God does. God created us so ONLY He can define what is unnatural for us. Our nature takes affect in the very beginning of life. There are not two natures, God's nature and human nature. Our correct human nature is that which God created for us and placed in us, He is the standard bearer. I believe this author is clearly trying to conform the scripture to fit her lifestyle. But if you would like to know what was going on in the heart of those the scripture is talking about just take a look at verse 24, God tells you this behavior was already in the heart.
The King Kames Version says:
Romans 1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves
The New American Standard Bible says:
Romans 1:24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them.
The New Living Translation says:
Romans 1:24 So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies.
Again the scripture does not say “and they turned to what was unnatural for them.” God clearly states it is unnatural, period. So the question IS NOT if it was natural or unnatural to any one particular person, we don’t get to chose to whom it may be unnatural to, it's just unnatural and that's final. God tells us what is unnatural, He provides us the standard of behavior.
We as humans have a very difficult time in accepting God’s way BUT THAT IS WHAT BEING A CHRISTIAN IS ABOUT, submitting to God’s ways and that is exactly what these scriptures are talking about. The creation CAN NEVER SUPERSEDE THE CREATOR but that is what some humans try to do.
Romans 1:22 says the people were: Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
Romans 1:25 says the people: …changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF OUR GOD SENT NATURE IS SIN, SO EITHER WE TURN TO GOD FOR HELP OR LIVE THE WAY WE PLEASE BUT WE CAN NOT CHANGE GOD’S IDEA OF NATURAL. TO LIVE HOW YOU PLEASE IS TO NOT HAVE GOD’S SPIRIT IN YOU.
We as a society are sick with power and control, to the unbeliever submission is taboo and surrendering is weak. A Disobedient Christian is another oxymoron. You must obey, love is the greatest expression of respect and honor, Jesus says if you love him then you will obey his commandments. Thou shall not be gay is not a commandment but Jesus did only what the Father told and showed him and that is exactly what we must do, be like Jesus, that is exactly what the word Christian means the Greek translation for Christian is “a follower of Christ.”
This entire passage is full with God’s anger for the wickedness and behavior of people. Just read it through, it can not be any more apparent. I warn all fellow believers to shield carefully your hearts and minds against those who try to bring false teachings. Peter warns us on false teachings and the wrath of God against this lifestyle. Read how clear he was in his message, this is from the New Living Translation:
But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves. Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered. (2 Peter 2:1)
He (God) is especially hard on those who follow their own twisted sexual desire, and who despise authority. (2 Peter 2:10)
They brag about themselves with empty, foolish boasting. With an appeal to twisted sexual desires, they lure back into sin those who have barely escaped from a lifestyle of deception. They promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves of sin and corruption. For you are a slave to whatever controls you. (2 Peter2:18-19)
Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. (2 Peter 3:3)
Elaine argues that because there is no commandment that speaks of homosexuality that it is no real issue with God. She even goes on to say that she believes God does not care about our sexual preferences or how we conduct our sexual intercourse but I say the bible speaks louder than words.
I leave you with the expressions of Jude out of the New Testament:
Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people. I say this because some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying that God’s marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives. The condemnation of such people was recorded long ago, for they have denied our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. (Jude 1:3-4)
And don’t forget Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring towns, which were filled with immorality and every kind of sexual perversion. Those cities were destroyed by fire and serve as a warning of the eternal fire of God’s judgment. (Jude 1:7)
But these people scoff at things they do not understand. Like unthinking animals, they do whatever their instincts tell them, and so they bring about their own destruction. (Jude 1:10)
These people are grumblers and complainers, living only to satisfy their desires. (Jude 1:16)
But you, my dear friends, must remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ said. They told you that in the last times there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to satisfy their ungodly desires. These people are the ones who are creating divisions among you. They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God’s Spirit in them. (Jude 1:17-19)
I always speak with the authority of the bible and rarely with emotion from my heart. The Word is alive and true and still has its own voice… just listen.
God Bless You,
Frank Aponte Jr
I put my hope in man and he let me down again… and again, and again, and again… I want something with substance; I want to place my concerns with someone that gives me hope. I’m tired of being let down, disappointment is becoming a habit. I’m tired of the predictability of man; in man alone all hope is lost.
The heart feeds the rest of the body. What we hear
is what we speak
is what we see
is what we do
is what we teach
is what we learn
is what is wrong with society.
Christ said “It's not what goes into your body that defiles you; you are defiled by what comes from your heart.” Mark 7:15
The contaminated heart can lead to an entire infected culture.
Check out the definition of the word CULTURE:
1. All the knowledge and values shared by a society.
2. The attitudes and behavior that are characteristic of a particular social group or organization.
When I thought of the word culture I thought of heritage, tradition, things which we would be proud to have our future generations carry on. I can’t say the same about this CULTURE. What exactly are your values, do you stand for any righteous principles. My brothers and sisters, it has to start somewhere with someone. We can’t keep declaring “Why should I care, nobody else does?” Most of the time people are looking for some sort of leadership, someone who has the strength to say “Not me, I refuse to live that way.”
Man is so simple, monkey see monkey do. No one thinks for themselves anymore. This present culture doesn’t have much to offer in support of us who search for an honorable way of living. The modern attitude is greedy and self centered, close minded, only seeking to satisfy the flesh. And please don’t be confused, THE FLESH means so much more than just things we desire sexually. Desires of the flesh is that car we think we need or that piece of jewelry we think we have to have or those shoes we must have before anyone else, not to mention our behavior while working towards these material “must-haves” as I like to call them. My people, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.” Matthew 6:33
It’s like nothing matters any more, everything is ok to do, there are no restrictions, nothing is off limits, every thing is a joke and if it’s not funny to you then “lighten up, can’t you take a joke?” is what they tell me.
So because my sense of humor is not as repulsive or vile as the unbeliever, I must be the problem huh…? I do not think so.
On a daily basis I hear conversations going on in this tent, it’s not as if I have a choice, it’s an open tent with 13 Soldiers living in it, I am the one and only believer. I promise this one thing, out of every conversation these young men have, I say without a doubt at least 80% of the topics they speak of are about something immoral, sexual or demeaning, and this is their norm, their custom if you will. My ears suffer a sickening dose of this chatter night after night. I want to run from it all, just get away from the filth… but where can I go. I am a U.S. Army Soldier confined to a Camp. And when I think about it, this is my tent too so why should I have to be the one to leave. I have spoken to these young men about this issue before, they seemed concerned about my feelings… for about a day… then MAN has let me down again. My concerns are of little concern to them; I am the minority in a majority of unbelievers.
My brothers and sisters we must be the example to follow. All we do must represent Christ to the maximum. No one is perfect, God is aware of this, but that does not mean that we do not have a glorious STANDARD to shoot for… Christ Jesus is that standard; we must strive to be Christ–like every solitary day of our lives. Of course we will fail to achieve His perfection but God is not expecting us to be perfect, He is expecting us to obey Him and love Him, nothing any Father wouldn’t ask for.
With that said I would like to leave you with a quote from Christian author C.S. Lewis:
“It’s not a question of a good man who died two thousand years ago. It is a living Man, still as much a man as you, and still as much God as He was when He created the world, really coming and interfering with your very self; killing the old natural self in you and replacing it with the kind of self He has. At first, only for moments. Then for longer periods. Finally, if all goes well, turning you permanently into a different sort of thing; into a new little Christ, a being which, in its own small way, has the same kind of life as God; which shares in His power, joy, knowledge and eternity.”
You don’t have to believe me or C.S. Lewis, I pray you experience God all by yourself.
God Bless You,
Frank Aponte Jr
I refuse to accept the disobedience of man. How man can blatantly defy God yet in the same breath fault God for war, death and grief is beyond me. C.S. Lewis once said that while he was still an atheist he believed there was no God but simultaneously was infuriated that God did not exist.
I say to you today, to believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of Man you must believe in each and every one of Jesus’ claims. You must believe in His miracles and you must believe in His words, you must believe in His crucifixion and you must believe in His resurrection. To carry out anything different is to attempt to change the written record of the life of Jesus Christ. To say “I believe Jesus died on the cross but I do not believe He walked on water” is to change the very character of Jesus Christ. The Christ that raises the dead is the same Christ that walks on water, these acts are in His genuine framework. The Christ that heals the sick is the exact Christ who gives sight to the blind; all acts of Christ are in His authentic structure, they are all synonymous. Each and every one of Jesus Christ’s acts collectively is part of the very fabric of His make up. I say you can not have one without the other. All acts of Jesus are part of the very being of Jesus. To not believe in one single claim or act of the Messiah is to remove the very heartbeat which imparts Him life. To not accept Him for all and everything He truly encompasses is to deny His very existence therefore wholly contradicting your representation of a Christian.
To believe the bible to have errors is to attempt to absolutely and completely obliterate all authority in God himself. For the scripture you may believe to have errors is the very same scripture which reads in 2Pe 1:20 “But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.” Some men want to employ science to explain what has no scientific conditions. My faith is spiritual not scientific. God does not need to be proven or defended. Martin Luther was once asked if he would defend the Bible, he so robustly responded, “Defend the Bible? I would as soon defend a lion.” You see our God is EL SHADDAI, God Almighty; he is ELOHIM God the Creator, mighty and strong. You can investigate God but you can not question God, you can wrestle with God but you can not conquer God. It would behoove some men to recognize that the creation can NEVER question the creator since your mind could not comprehend the answer anyway… "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD. Isa 55:8.
God Bless You,
Frank Aponte Jr
Something is happening, a transformation is in progress. God’s love is redefining my heart. I am affected in a new way by the old things. The planet has been left untouched but my spirit has been altered. 
