I AM SIMON OF CYRENE: REVISITED 2

Praise the Lord, I first posted this at this time the last two years and I was blessed by the response. During this time of prayer and reflection, I was moved to re-post it this year. To God be the glory.



Praise the Lord everybody! I pray everyone is enjoying these holy days leading up to Resurrection Sunday. These are days of wonder, days to look back in retrospect at what Jesus did for us. The other night I was watching the "Passion of the Christ" and as I watched I was again appalled by the brutality of His death. I also was intrigued by the plight of Simon of Cyrene who helped Jesus carry His cross. As I meditated on it I was moved to write the following account as seen through Simon's eyes. Luke 23:26
26 As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. 


I am Simon of Cyrene and a heartbreaking but wonderful thing happened to me on a  Friday many years ago as I entered the city. There were crowds everywhere and as I neared the via Dolorosa I heard the sound of the woman weeping and wailing mixed with the shouts of men.I could not see to whom or to what all this emotion was directed, so I pressed in closer to get a better view.

It was then that I saw this large wooden cross that seemed to be dragging itself down the stone covered street surrounded by Roman soldiers. I said to myself "how is it that the cross moves?" Then I saw Him, half hidden by the crossbar a bowed and bloody figure stumbling under its burden. Blood was pooled in his every footprint as He grunted and groaned with His every step. Every part of him I could see was ripped and bruised, His flesh hung in ribbons.

As I detachedly watched, the agonizingly slow procession I was suddenly thrust into the surreal scene when I heard a voice loudly growl "YOU!! YES, YOU! COME HERE AND HELP HIM CARRY HIS LAST BURDEN!" as the soldiers laughed, I hesitated and started to protest, then I thought about running but thought the better of it.
As I approached this poor soul I could feel his pain and anguish, it was weird. I sped up to avoid the lash and arrived at his side just in time as he fell into me placing all his weight and that of the cross on me. I summoned all my strength and somehow kept us both upright.

Just like that, I found myself going from onlooker to the eye of the storm, surrounded by a whirlwind of emotions. As I joined in this obvious death march I was conflicted as I looked upon Priest and Pharisees and other devout men cursing this man yelling "blasphemer!! Crucify him!!" as they spit at us as I now shared in his shame. I thought to myself "my God what has he done to deserve this?"

At that point, he lifted up his eyes to me and I saw tears, not tears of anger or pain but tears of compassion FOR ME!! FOR ME! OF ALL THINGS!  he was concerned for me, even as he was suffering in what was undoubtedly his final moments. He looked at me and never said a word but that look said it all.
He then righted himself and continued on ahead of me leading me and his cross toward Golgotha the hill where hey liked to crucify and leave them hanging to be seen by everyone as an example. He could barely carry his own weight and as we drew nearer stumbled again and again, finally I dragged Him, myself and the cross to the top of the hill.

"OK you can go on your way now!" barked the Centurion as they began to unload the hammers and the nails. They ripped him out of my grasp and though I wanted to turn and run away I reached out to Him and asked "Who are you?" but He did not speak but again I felt his compassion as I finally turned and walked away covered in his blood. One of the soldiers cried out "YOU SHOULD BE HONORED, He CLAIMS TO BE A KING! KING OF THE JEWS!"

As I walked away I tried to wipe his blood from my person but I am glad I was unsuccessful, even though you can't see it anymore it is always there and the man whose name I did not know, three days later rose from the dead, I know Him now as Jesus the Christ my Lord and my Savior.
                     God bless you all, Simon of Cyrene

     I KNOW IT WAS THE BLOOD!   BROTHER DARRELL, A WATCHMAN

THE BUNNY IS WINNING!!: REVISITED

Praise the Lord everybody!! Let everything that has breath praise His holy name, for He alone is worthy. I pray everyone is enjoying the Holy week. I'd like to share with you a post I wrote on last years "resurrection Sunday." I feel the topic is just as important this year, if not more so. So here it is again for those who missed it, or just want to revisit it, God bless.


I began writing this post today, "Easter" Sunday to the world and known as "resurrection" Sunday to most of us Christians because I noticed something different in the spirit this year. Even though I could not get out to Church because of my disability my wife was able to get out to our Church today and she was able to confirm what I had been seeing, and feeling.

The Bunny is winning! Where are all the "Church folk" with all their finery crowding into churches in reverence to the Lord? On a day that the joy of the Lord is usually seen and felt everywhere, there was a distinct lack of fanfare for our "risen" Savior throughout the city and even the nation. I couldn't even find a decent sunrise Resurrection day service on television or cable, but everywhere I looked on T.V. or social media the "Easter Bunny" was leading the charge.

There were Easter egg hunts everywhere including the White House. Commercials about chocolate bunnies and Cadbury Easter eggs were everywhere. Facebook was filled with pictures of children and pets dressed up as bunnies, and a lot were posted by people calling themselves Christians. I asked myself "where are the tributes to the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?

Are these the times Jesus was talking about in Matthew 24: 3-14  3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.

5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.

9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.

10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

Anyone with eyes can see that we are in the Last days and Jesus said that in those last days, and that "the love of many shall wax cold." Their love for their fellow man and their love for Jesus shall dwindle and is dwindling away and it becomes more evident every day. On the day that celebrates Jesus Christ rise from the grave after dying on a cross for the Sin of mankind, the bunny got more media coverage and more reverence.

In a time when every Christian holiday is being downsized, it is time for Christians to take a stand, especially in the United States of America. The spirit of the anti-Christ is running rampant in America where Christians are trying to blend into the world rather than resisting the world in order to show the world a better way.

Brothers and sisters the bunny is winning and it's time for us to wake up.
          God Bless You All, Brother Darrell, Speaking Off The Wall

REFORMED OR REDEEMED?: WHY DO YOU WALK THE LINE?

Praise the Lord everybody! Let everything that has breath praise his holy name. God is truly worthy to be praised. I love what He is doing in my life and the life of my wife right now. He is preparing us for a whole new world and a new mission. I am spending more time in Gods' word and letting it renew my mind and revitalize my soul for the final push forward in these last and evil days.

The other day as I was talking to a good friend of mine he mentioned something about how the purpose of prisons was to reform the prisoners, making them obedient and useful members of society. My friend also mentioned that maybe they needed to be "redeemed more than reformed." That stuck with me as the day wore on, later that day I heard that soft still voice ask me "Darrell, why are you obedient? Are you reformed or are you redeemed?"

TO REFORM MEANS TO= To improve by alteration, correction of error, or removal of defects; put into a better form or condition: TO RE-FORM OR RESHAPE

TO BE REDEEMED MEANS: a. To set free, as from slavery or kidnapping, by providing money or other compensation.
b. To save (a person or soul) from a state of sinfulness and its consequences. See Synonyms at save1.
c. To restore the honor, worth, or reputation of: You botched the last job but can redeem yourself on this one.
5.
a. To atone for (an error or mistake)

I thought about prisons and reform schools where their goal is to change you through discipline and behavior modification. Your "insides" are still the same except now you are supposed to be able to control your behaviors and be obedient to the rules of society.

I asked myself this time, "why do I obey God? Am I reformed or am I redeemed?" Do I serve because of what God did for me? Because He loved me and died for me and freed me from my sin and addiction? Or am I "dry drinking" as they say in AA, being obedient just because I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired, just "kicking against the pricks"                              

serving God my way according to my own will. Paul talks about it in  2nd Timothy 3: 3-5King James Version (KJV)

3 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

Paul is not just talking about non-believers here, he is talking about Christians, people in the church who believe in their own minds that they are serving God, they may have given up certain behaviors but at the same time they involve themselves in other ungodly behaviors and have no feeling of a need to repent or seek deliverance. They are the "reformed" of the Lord. The trials of life and or a personal crisis leads them to seek God but they never truly embrace the "program" so to speak. They attend church thinking that is enough to keep them and protect them.


Jesus said in John 14:15-17King James Version (KJV)

15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

16 And I will pray for the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever;

17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

The "redeemed" believer obeys out of a love for God, because of what He has done, and because of that loving obedience, He sends us the Holy Spirit to lead us, guide us and teach us and also convict us when we sin.
I must admit there was a time when I was more reformed than redeemed. When I finally stopped doing drugs for good that I didn't give God all the glory, telling myself that I stopped because I was tired and getting too old to be running the streets chasing drugs. After a while, I realized that if it wasn't for God I would have gone to hell with a crack pipe in my mouth. I am redeemed, bought with a price and the life I now live I live through Him and because of Him.
So ask yourself, "am I reformed? or am I redeemed?" and if you find yourself on the reformed side ask God to show you what is missing from your relationship with him and the Holy Spirit will guide you into a "redeemed" walk with him.

  God Bless You All, Brother Darrell, Speaking Off The Wall

Carrie Underwood And Crowder Sing 'Lift Your Head Weary Sinner'

THE MOUTH DISCONNECTED

Praise the Lord everybody! He alone is worthy to be praised! I can't thank God enough for what He is doing in my life in these last and evil days. So much going on in the world right now, war and rumors of wars, fear, and paranoia are running rampant in our country. There seems to be a PC backlash going on in this country. At one time everybody appeared to be very concerned about the political correctness of their conversations in their everyday relationships.

That seems to be changing these days. Since Donald Trump became a major player on the political scene, and now President of the United States. We have come to expect these things from the World but when you see them creep into the Body of Christ, Gods' people, it is quite concerning. There is a disconnect going on, a disconnect between the heart, mind, and the mouth.

the bible says in James 1:26     If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion [is] vain.

A lot of us who claim to be disciples of Christ and Holy men and woman of God has perfected the art of appearing "religious" but allow gossip, backbiting and judgemental words to come out of our mouths, directed toward our brothers and sisters in Christ are only fooling themselves and their religion is in vain.

The pain we inflict on each other with our tongues in the household of faith is without excuse. The Bible states in James 3:1-6
 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.

2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offends not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

3 Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.

4 Behold also the ships, which though they are so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.

5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!

6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.


We go around saying things in so-called jest, and we do not realize the damage we sometimes do with a few words. We declare with our mouths that we meant no harm, but if we examine our hearts many times it would reveal to us that way down inside we meant to cause a little discomfort with our words. the bible says inLuke 6:45 (KJV)45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

The Bible tells us that "the heart of man is desperately wicked, who can know it?" this is why we must have the mind of Christ connected between our hearts and our mouths as a buffer. We need to inspect every desire and intention of our heart, bringing them into obedience to Christ before we open our mouths to speak.
The tongue is a volatile member that cannot be allowed to run amok, disconnected.

 If we continually cleanse our hearts and minds with Gods' word and our tongues connected to them both we will be able to keep to Gods' word that says in  Ephesians 4:29-32
29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

30 And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

  God bless you all, Brother Darrell, Speaking Off The Wall

JESUS STOCK: BETTER THAN BLUE CHIP!!

Praise the Lord everybody!! for He alone is worthy to be praised! God is really moving in my life right now and I'm having a hard time keeping up with all the "upgrades" He is making in my life. I'd like to share with you all an article that God had me write for another ministry on a subject they chose. I was blessed by it and I hope you all will be too.        

JESUS CHRIST: BETTER THAN BLUE CHIP STOCK!                          

Praise the Lord everybody, As I look out over the country and see the signs of the times appearing everywhere, I see a nation that is tired of the status quo in our government and is trying to divest itself of two party politics and is looking to invest in something new, and that something new is a totally out of the box Donald Trump. People are putting all their “money” into Trump stock when those of us who claim Christ as our Lord and savior know that the only true “blue chip stock” is Jesus Christ.
What is stock? You might ask. A stock is an equity investment. What does that mean for you? Proud ownership of a company you believe is a good investment. So if you invest in a stock, you have an ownership stake in the corporation that issued it or offered it for sale. The size of that stake depends on the number of shares you own compared to the total number available.
Blue chip stock is the stock of a large, well-established and financially sound company that has operated for many years. A blue-chip stock typically has a market capitalization in the billions, is generally the market leader or among the top three companies in its sector, and is more often than not a household name.

Let’s say Trump represents the Worldly system, Why buy stock in Jesus instead of Trump? Sin entered the World through Adam and has been used by the devil to destroy man and the world. Jesus, however, came to give us life and that life more abundantly, In John 10:10 Jesus states 10 the thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Jesus cares about His stockholders but the “thief,” which is the world or the Devil, wants to take your money and destroy you. I this case our investment “currency” is our lives. In this “market” there are only two stocks you can invest in, worldly stock or Jesus stock. One of the main dividends of Jesus stock is found in the bible, John 3:16  16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
How great is that! Everlasting life! Why is this so important? It’s important because the bible tells us that “all men are born into sin and shaped in iniquity” see Psalm 51:5. The word of God then goes on to tell us in Romans 6:23 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Who would not want to buy stock in a company that can save you from death and hell because the CEO sent His only son to die for His stockholders' sin. The worldly stock has an expiration date of death and then Hell, but Jesus stock never expires and promises you everlasting life with Jesus and adoption by the CEO of creation. He promises to never leave or forsake you no matter what is going on in your life. The World and it’s CEO the Devil make no such promise, lies to you always and leaves you hanging when you need them.
As for me and my house, I think we’re going to go all in for Jesus. We’re putting everything we have into Jesus stock, and that is my stock tip for today.
   God bless you all, This is Brother Darrell, Speaking Off The Wall

GOD’S TERRITORIAL IMPERATIVE!

Praise the Lord everybody!! because He alone is worthy to be praised. I can't thank God enough for what He is doing in my life and I pray every day that I live my life more obediently in Christ. That is the least I can do considering all He has done for me.

I'd like to share with you all an article I was asked to write for another ministry that I think will interest you also. I was fascinated by the revelation God gave me concerning the territorial imperative for His people.



GOD’S TERRITORIAL IMPERATIVE!

Ever since Adam and Eve lost their “territory”, to the enemy. {Genesis chapters 1 and 2,} Christians have been in a constant battle to regain the territories that were lost to the Devil in the Garden of Eden ever since. The dictionary defines territory as:
1.
a. An area of land; a region.
b. The land and waters under the jurisdiction of a government.
c. A political subdivision of a country.
d. A geographic region, such as a colonial possession, that is dependent on an external government: ie, the territories of the Holy Roman Empire.

As Christians we should see it as d. We are at war with the devil to take back what was rightfully ours and at the same time forcefully advance the kingdom of Heaven.
Genesis 1:26-28     26 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.

27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, 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 moveth upon the earth.

It is in our nature to want to claim or actually reclaim the “territory”, God’s creation, we gave away because of our sin.
Jabez cried out to God that He would bless him and expand his territory, and God did, read 1st Chronicles 4:10 NIV. God wants to restore man, His greatest creation to his former place of being in charge, but first we must repent of our sin and accept Christ as Lord and savior. Once we are saved and in right standing with God He promises to return to us what we lost while bound in our sins, In Joel 2:25-32New King James Version (NKJV)
25 “So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten,
The crawling locust,
The consuming locust,
And the chewing locust,[a]
My great army which I sent among you.
In this instance the “territory” we are redeeming is time.
In the new testament Jesus has given us all a task, some call it the “Great commission”.

  Matthew 28:16-20 (KJV) states,
16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.

17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.

18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Now the territory we must redeem is not land but souls. By spreading the Gospel of Christ we are helping God reclaim His creation from the slavery of sin and the enemy.  
Paul tell us in Romans 12:1,2      I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Paul is telling us here that we must take back the “territory” of our minds, minds and thoughts that have been corrupted by our sinful natures. Before Adam and Eve allowed sin into the world, our thought lives were pure, but after, sin warped our way of thinking.  Now we must seek the mind of Christ in order to know how to live holy.
These are the reasons for the perceived territoriality of Christians. It is not about lust or Greed but man’s innate drive to return to his rightful place over God’s creation. The spiritual man understands this but the natural man usually perverts this which leads to unholy “name it and claim it” ministries and sinful behaviors.
God’s desire is that each individual person on this earth would make his own decision to reclaim his or her own “territory” through Christ and help return the world to its’ original state.

      God Bless You All, Brother Darrell, Speaking Off The Wall