“I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD!”

 Isaiah 43:2-3                     (ESV)

    “[2] When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

        and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;

    WHEN YOU WALK THROUGH THE FIRE OF SHALL NOT BE BURNED,

        and the flame shall NOT CONSUME YOU. 

    [3] For “I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD”,

        the HOLY ONE of Israel, your SAVIOR.

    I give Egypt as your ransom,

        Cush and Seba in exchange for you.”

This morning I awoke to a notice on a social media account that was announcing a friend of this person had experienced a “Brain Bleed” and wasn’t expected to survive this catastrophic event.   As most of you are aware, I experienced a “Brain Bleed” over 18 years ago, but I did survive with very few “deficits”!!!  Eighteen years ago the incident was very serious……today it has become a learning tool!!!

My medical records from my physician plainly say “However, he has had a remarkable recovery that can only be defined as a miracle from GOD”!!!  NO, I try to NEVER let the opportunity to GLORIFY GOD through the event that was SO SERIOUS at the time.  During my recovery I read online that 80% of Brain Hemorrhage patients died from the event.  Not only did I survive, but with very few disabilities.  There ARE a couple of minor remnants, but GOD uses those as reminders of where HE has brought me from during my journey!!

It wasn’t anything that I did during this period of time to make me worthy to be delivered from the “valley of the shadow of death”!  ALMIGHTY GOD DELIVERED me, even from a 17 day coma!!  

“I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD” carries a TOTALLY different meaning to me than before!  Why didn’t I die???  Why didn’t I have more disabilities???  Why???  Because “I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD” has a purpose for me and I will never forget it!!!

“FIRE CAME DOWN!”

 2 Chronicles 6:41 - 2 Chronicles 7::3

    [41] “And now arise, O LORD GOD, and go to YOUR resting place,

        YOU and the ark of YOUR might.

    Let your priests, O LORD GOD, be clothed with salvation,

        and let YOUR saints rejoice in YOUR goodness. 

    [42] O LORD GOD, do not turn away the FACE of your anointed ONE!

        Remember YOUR steadfast love for David YOUR servant.”

FIRE from Heaven

[1] AS SOON AS SOLOMON FINISHED HIS PRAYER, “FIRE CAME DOWN” from HEAVEN and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and THE GLORY OF THE LORD filled the temple. [2] And THE PRIESTS COULD NOT ENTER THE HOUSE OF THE LORD, because the glory of the LORD filled the LORD’s house. [3] When “ALL THE PEOPLE” of Israel saw the FIRE come down and the glory of the LORD on the temple, THEY BOWED DOWN WITH THEIR FACES TO THE GROUND on the pavement and worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying, “For HE is good, for HIS steadfast LOVE endures forever.”

There are MANY SCRIPTURES that could be used by ALMIGHTY GOD this new morning to ENLIGHTEN my Brain Damaged mind, but the SPIRIT OF GOD is seemingly URGING me to LISTEN to everything HE is saying to me from the passages above.  

The TYPICAL “method of operation” for this humble servant is to “rapidly” move onto the next passage of Scripture and see if I can make sense of what is trying to be SAID to me.  But I am slowly but surely SEEING that GOD doesn’t have to WORK LIKE THAT!  HE OPERATES ON HIS OWN TIMELINE!!!

“AS SOON AS SOLOMON FINISHED HIS PRAYER, “FIRE CAME DOWN” from HEAVEN” is  the passage of Scripture that I am unable to get past this morning.  2 Chronicles 6:12-42 is an eloquent, detailed oration about how GOD was FAR TOO MAGNIFICENT for his mortal words to encapsulate description!  Yet after his attempt, “FIRE CAME DOWN” from HEAVEN!!!  

Now FIRE can be a destructive mechanism, one that leaves total destruction.  But it is ALSO a purification tool that brings about HIS LIFE after ALL interference is overcome???  Sometimes our “wildest imaginations” have to be DISMISSED when GOD IS DOING SOMETHING that words will NEVER be able to articulate!!!  

Solomon is the WISEST man, according to SCRIPTURE!  But his vocabulary was unable to articulate precisely what GOD had in store for the nation of Israel!  Whenever “FIRE CAME DOWN”, it didn’t necessarily mean that GOD was furious???  “FIRE CAME DOWN” may have been a sign that GOD was doing something of which that ONLY HE was WORTHY to be PRAISED???

“ALL THE PEOPLE!”

  2 Chronicles 6:41 - 2 Chronicles 7::3

    [41] “And now arise, O LORD GOD, and go to YOUR resting place,

        YOU and the ark of YOUR might.

    Let your priests, O LORD GOD, be clothed with salvation,

        and let YOUR saints rejoice in YOUR goodness. 

    [42] O LORD GOD, do not turn away the FACE of your anointed ONE!

        Remember YOUR steadfast love for David YOUR servant.”

Fire from Heaven

[1] As soon as Solomon finished his prayer, FIRE came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and “THE GLORY OF THE LORD” filled the temple. [2] And THE PRIESTS COULD NOT ENTER THE HOUSE OF THE LORD, because the glory of the LORD filled the LORD’s house. [3] When “ALL THE PEOPLE” of Israel saw the FIRE come down and the glory of the LORD on the temple, THEY BOWED DOWN WITH THEIR FACES TO THE GROUND on the pavement and worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying, “For HE is good, for HIS steadfast LOVE endures forever.”

King Solomon was the wisest person in the world, according to 1 Kings 3:12.  When he prayed the prayer in 2 Chronicles 6, he apparently was in accordance to the WILL OF GOD due to the 2 Chronicles 7!!!

Obviously, there are MANY PEOPLE (especially today) whose EYES have NOT SEEN the ONE TRUE GOD be REVEALED to them!   When ““ALL THE PEOPLE”  of Israel” saw the manifestation of GOD displayed before them, “THEY BOWED DOWN WITH THEIR FACES TO THE GROUND” and WORSHIPPED GOD.  Please note, Scripture says “ALL THE PEOPLE”!!!  It doesn’t say that some of them “admitted” that they saw, while some people weren’t convinced that it was an anomaly far beyond what they could explain!  “ALL THE PEOPLE” WORSHIPPED THE LORD!!!

One day SOON, in the NOT TOO DISTANT FUTURE, “ALL THE PEOPLE” of every nation and tongue, WILL WORSHIP THE LORD as KING OF THE WORLD!!!

Now that is worthy of THANKSGIVING!!!!

“PRESENT YOUR BODIES!”

 Romans 12:1-2                    (ESV)

A Living SACRIFICE 

“[1] I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of GOD ”PRESENT YOUR BODIES” as a LIVING SACRIFICE, HOLY and ACCEPTABLE to GOD, which is your spiritual worship. [2] DO NOT BE CONFORMED TO “this world”, but be TRANSFORMED by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern WHAT IS THE WILL OF GOD, what is GOOD and ACCEPTABLE and PERFECT.”

VERY DIRECTLY this morning……

Humanity doesn’t YEILD to that which is comes to us from the UNKNOWN very quickly as we want to assure ourselves that we are NOT subjecting ourselves to something that will be detrimental to us.   But before I was placed into the coma following the Brain Hemorrhage over EIGHTEEN YEARS AGO my opinion was NOT considered!  My recollection of the events was seeing two friends in the Emergency Room on Monday morning (July 09) and then waking up on July 30, one day after I was brought out of the drug-induced coma!!  My “opinion” wasn’t considered to my knowledge??

I wasn’t “fit” to make decisions about my own life at the time!  But are we EVER “fit” when making decisions about life and death??  Would my “input” have been beneficial to the people who were making decisions about my health in those days?  

GOD HAD A PLAN, as HE always has and does!  When each of us are in a position to do something that is a part of GODS PLAN, HE SUPERNATURALLY orchestrates the response from HIS CHOSEN!  The Apostle Paul (Saul) was on the way to persecute members of “The Way”, but JESUS intervened and his life was TRANSFORMED by meeting JESUS!!  The exact author of the book of Romans had an encounter that changed his life, and accordingly was FOR THE GLORY OF JESUS!!!

The future is NOT something that most people have the ability to discern!  Most people are moving WAY TOO FAST to calculate their own outcomes?  When the Apostle Paul wrote in the letter to the church in Rome “PRESENT YOUR BODIES”, he probably had NO IDEA how many people would be reading these words? The LORD told the Apostle Paul, “MY power is made PERFECT in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9), and it’s true of us, as well.  We need to “PRESENT YOUR BODIES” to HIM and allow HIS WORK to be completed!!!

“THE JEWS!”

 John 10:22-30                    (ESV)

I AND THE FATHER ARE ONE

“[22] At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, [23] and JESUS was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. [24] So “THE JEWS” gathered around HIM and said to HIM, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the CHRIST, tell us plainly.” [25] JESUS answered them, “I TOLD YOU, AND YOU DO NOT BELIEVE. The works that I do in MY FATHER’S name bear witness about ME, [26] but you DO NOT believe because YOU ARE NOT among MY sheep. [27] MY sheep hear MY voice, and I know them, and they follow ME. [28] I give them eternal life, and they will NEVER perish, and NO ONE WILL SNATCH THEM OUT OF MY HAND. [29] MY FATHER, WHO has given them to ME, is greater than all, and NO ONE IS ABLE TO SNATCH THEM out of the FATHER’S HAND. [30] I AND THE FATHER ARE ONE.””

There are many places in Scripture where it talks about BELIEVERS are CHOSEN!  However, when THE CREATOR is speaking to “THE JEWS” in the nine verses above, HE VERY PLAINLY says that YOU (THE JEWS) ARE NOT MY sheep!  Obviously “THE JEWS” DOES NOT indicate that everyone associated with them have been selected to be CHOSEN by THE FATHER to be apart of HIS KINGDOM!

Being one of THE CHOSEN doesn’t enunciate that we are better than others.  Being CHOSEN simply indicates that despite our faults and imperfections, we have been selected (“before the foundation of the world” according to Ephesians 1:4) by our CREATOR to serve HIM.  We are not WORTHY to be selected by HIM, but OUT OF HIS MERCY HE CHOSE us to become SONS of the MOST HIGH GOD (Titus 3:4-7)!  

Our feeble minds have never been adequate to imagine any goodness or worthiness to select us over the “lowest of the low” category in life.  Yet HE CHOSE us to be one of the SELECT IN HIS EYES!!  Others, including “THE JEWS” written about in the Scriptures above, were TOLD directly from the CREATOR HIMSELF and they DID NOT BELIEVE!!!  

Andraé Crouch wrote in the early 1970’s a song entitled “I don’t know why JESUS loved me”.  It wasn’t a very long hymn, but it says more than my mind can comprehend!  I’m not worthy of HIS MERCY and GRACE, but CERTAINLY GLAD that HE CHOSE me!!  “THE JEWS” couldn’t SEE that they NEEDED a SAVIOR to redeem them from being a part of “THE JEWS”!!!  

“THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD!”

 Proverbs 2:1-5                    (ESV)

The Value of Wisdom

    “[1] My son, IF you receive my words

        and treasure up my commandments with you, 

    [2] MAKING YOUR EAR ATTENTIVE TO WISDOM

        and INCLINING YOUR HEART TO UNDERSTANDING; 

    [3] yes, IF you call out for insight

        and raise your voice FOR UNDERSTANDING, 

    [4] if you SEEK IT LIKE SILVER

        and SEARCH FOR IT AS FOR HIDDEN TREASURES-treasures, 

    [5] THEN you will UNDERSTAND THE FEAR OF THE LORD

        and FIND “THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.”

Having an interest in knowing ABOUT something and a SINCERE YEARNING to discover more about the subject is a conundrum that is often misunderstood or overlooked.  

Directly after I experienced the “massive brain hemorrhage” in July of 2007, my thought process was extremely hampered because I WAS RECOVERING from my Brain injury.   I was unable to calculate as quickly as I could before, but I was alive and the PEACE that I was experiencing during this time of my life was very fulfilling.  

Proverbs 2 was penned by Solomon, a man who requested from his CREATOR for “an understanding mind” to be able to govern “YOUR great people” (1 Kings 3:9).  He could have asked for wealth, military strength, long life, or anything else that “this world” had to offer him.  But Solomon CHOSE wisely and GOD HONORED his prayer!!!

Being Brain Damaged is a condition that can be awfully difficult to admit.  Nobody wants to BELIEVE that ALMIGHTY GOD would leave us anything less than completely WHOLE? But we are ALL broken sinners in need of a SAVIOR!!  We ALL have imperfections that we NEED a SAVIOR to forgive!!

The first five verses of Proverbs 2 lets us SEE that we ALL need DIVINE INTERVENTION to become a person that will HONOR and GLORIFY THE SON OF GOD!  GOD THE CREATOR does ALL of the things that GLORIFY HIM, we just need to have “THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD” instilled in our hearts and minds and HONOR HIM with our entire beings!!!

“BE STILL!”

Psalm 46:10                    (ESV

    [10] “”BE STILL”, and KNOW that I AM GOD.

        I WILL BE exalted among the nations,

        I WILL BE exalted in the earth!”

As I start another day, my mind is seemingly ATTACKED by “the enemy” doing anything and everything possible to get my focus off of THE CREATOR!  One devotional states the following:

“Satan attacks today’s children of GOD, not by trying to make them bad or busy, but by distracting them.

In addition, silence can be uncomfortable, but it’s essential for tuning into GOD's voice. In Psalm 46:10, GOD commands us, “Be still, and know that I am GOD.” To hear HIM, WE MUST CREAT INTENTIONAL SPACES OF SILENCE”.  

Even during my sleep my mind is “apparently” locked-in on other things??  I can dream the wildest dreams imaginable, ALL WITH NO SELF INTENTION TO DO SO!  That MIGHT make the probability of HEARING FROM GOD almost IMPOSSIBLE??  How can I “LET GO” of “this world” and be IN TUNE with GOD when I am NOT IN CONTROL of my mind when I am asleep??

This conundrum might be beyond my comprehension AT THIS TIME, but my brain MUST HAVE the intention of being CONTROLLED by the HOLY SPIRIT!!  I have to BELIEVE that it isn’t by chance or circumstance?  My last thought before I drift off to sleep NEEDS to be to “BE STILL” and be TRANSFORMED by the CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSES!!!

“WHOM SHALL I FEAR?”

 Psalm 27:1                    (ESV)

The LORD Is My Light and My Salvation

Of David.

    [1] The LORD is my light and my salvation;

        “WHOM SHALL I FEAR?”

    The LORD is the stronghold of my life;

        of WHOM SHALL I BE AFRAID?”

King David is credited with penning this Psalm.  King David was known in part for his fearless, almost maniacal, demeanor when he went into battle! One of my FAVORITE verses in the Bible is Psalm 27:14 reminding me to “WAIT FOR THE LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; WAIT FOR THE LORD!”  It seems that King David was VERY brave, but he writes in this Psalm the words “WHOM SHALL I FEAR?”.  

This humble servant has never been as fearless as King David, but I am 6’6” tall and weigh 300 lbs.  My license plate says BIG RAY!  But I didn’t feel very BIG lying in the floor on July 09, 2007!  BIG RAY was hospitalized for 52 days and out of work for almost two years.  During this time, ALMIGHTY GOD was speaking to me, but I didn’t take the time to listen very well!!!

One might think that a 47 year old man who was VERY BLESSED to be alive would be thankful and gracious simply for his life, but I just wanted to get back in the “rat race” that I previously was involved in?!?  WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE (Ecclesiastes 12:13), I can NOW SEE that LIFE isn’t about “being successful” in the business world, but about being SUBMISSIVE to the HEAVENLY FATHER WHO CREATED me!!!

Since GOD ALMIGHTY CREATED me in my mother’s womb, HE deserves to CALL the shots about what my life produces for HIS GLORY!  “The LORD is my light and my salvation; “WHOM SHALL I FEAR?” needs to be emblazoned on my heart and LIVED with my life!  HE IS THE ONLY REASON I AM STILL HERE!!!

Rev. Roy Parker

 

An extremely dear friend and Brother in CHRIST graduated to his Heavenly reward this afternoon.  Brother Roy Parker had been battling the effects of the illness he was diagnosed with a few months ago, but he was ready to receive his Reward from his LORD and SAVIOR!!

No doubt, I will miss carrying him to Cracker Barrel, but I would NOT wish him to stay in “this world” a day longer than HIS LORD ordained!!

For those who are interested, Brother Roy Parker wishes we that “In leu of flowers, Bro. Roy requested donations be made to Arkansas Children’s Hospital Hematology Oncology Family fund. Donations may be made at 

http://archildrens.org/donate or by calling 800-880-7491.  

“WAIT FOR THE LORD!”

 Psalm 27:7-14                    (ESV)

    “[7] Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud;

        be gracious to me and answer me! 

    [8] YOU have said, “Seek my face.”

    My heart says to YOU,

        “YOUR face, LORD, do I seek.” 

    [9]     Hide not YOUR face from me.

    Turn not YOUR servant away in anger,

        O YOU WHO have been my help.

    Cast me not off; forsake me not,

        O GOD of my salvation! 

    [10] For my father and my mother have forsaken me,

        but the LORD will take me in.

    [11] Teach me YOUR way, O LORD,

        and lead me on a level path

        because of my enemies. 

    [12] Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;

        for false witnesses have risen against me,

        and they breathe out violence.

    [13] I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD

        in the land of the living! 

    [14] “WAIT FOR THE LORD”;

        be strong, and let your heart take courage;

        “WAIT FOR THE LORD”!